Phat Tran returns to Prince Rupert a champion after playing undefeated in the men’s singles 30+ badminton tournament in Nanaimo.
Tran was one of five players representing the P.R. Badminton club on Vancouver Island for the 2022 Nanaimo Open and Masters Tournament Oct. 7 to 9.
Athletes were able to compete in multiple events (singles, doubles, mixed) and in all age categories that applied to them.
Tran entered into the 30+ men’s singles category, which he won, as well as the 40+ men’s singles event, in which he placed second.
He played doubles in the men’s 30+ event with his teammate Jonathan Barton and they placed seventh.
Tran also entered the combined doubles 70+ (where the two players’ age combined must equal 70 or more) with Tam Tran and they came ninth.
Amy Dopson placed fifth in the open women’s singles, fourth in mixed doubles 30+ and fifth in the open women’s doubles along with Gwen MacDonald.
Tran said the competitors did a lot of training in preparation for the event.
MacDonald, who is only 18 years old, had only been playing with the badminton club six months ago when she decided to go to the tournament, Tran said.
She placed sixth in the open singles category and 14th in the open mixed doubles with Barton.
“The main objective [of the tournament] was to have fun, gain experience and share it with the club members when we returned,” Tran said.
“Badminton is not a seasonal sport, we play all year round. And especially in the north, where the weather is, maybe a bit unpredictable, badminton provides that consistency,” he said.
The P.R. Badminton club play on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre.
On average 40 players are part of the badminton club, Tran, who has been playing for more than 20 years said.
“This is a testament to the effort of what [coach Raymond Liu’s] done, is that he has a lot of youths that are playing with us too on the Wednesday and Saturday, and they’re going to be the future of the club.”
Others who want to join the badminton club should visit their Facebook page for more information.
The next tournament the club is looking forward to will be in Prince George in March 2023.
Singles results:
Phat Tran — first in men’s 30+, second in men’s 40+
Amy Dopson — fifth in women’s open
Jonathan Barton — men’s open, lost in round one of the special plate
Tam Tran — men’s open, lost in semi-finals of consolation plate
Gwen MacDonald — sixth in women’s open
Doubles results:
Phat Tran and Jonathan Barton — seventh in men’s 30+
Phat Tran and Tam Tran — ninth in combined 70+
Amy Dopson and Nate Alcos — fourth in mixed 30+
Amp Dopson and Gwen MacDonald — fifth in women’s open
Amy Dopson and Tam Tran — 11th in mixed open
Jonathan Barton and Tam Tran — lost semi-finals of the plate round in men’s open
Jonathan Barton and Gwen MacDonald — 14th in mixed open
