WORLD SENIORS – Denyse keeps in shape

Denyse Julien was one of the 40 gold medallists of the World Senior Badminton Championships, which were held this weekend in Richmond, Canada. The ever-young shuttler from Montreal proved she was still at her best by easily beating all competitors in the women’s singles over 50 division. Badzine’s very own Tjitte Weistra – our columnist for the coach’s notebook section – was also winner in his own category, men’s singles +35.

By Raphael Sachetat. Photos: archives (Yves Lacroix, Badmintonphoto) and Rights reserved (medal photo)

Denyse Julien (photo) is probably one of Canada’s best ever shuttlers on top of being one of badminton’s friendliest faces. She had proven it on the international circuit for many years, and once again showed what she was capable of. The 51-year-old, who now coaches in the famous Atwater Badminton Club in the heart of Montreal, Quebec, had clinched no fewer than 31 national titles in all disciplines, 5 Canada Open Titles, on top of a range of international titles. On Sunday, she added one extra gold medal to her long list of successes in Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver, Canada, on the other side of the continent.

Until the final where she was to meet the top seed – another famous figure in the name of Zvetlana Zilberman – Denyse lost no game. She didn’t even let anyone go beyond 11 points in any games. In the final against the top seed from Israel, however, she had to fight a bit more, winning 21-11, 21-15. Canada’s girls also ended up on the top of the podium in the women’s doubles over 35 with Milaine Cloutier and Charmaine Reid (photo) . The latter was expected to win in the singles event as well but was beaten in the final by Sri Lanka’s Renu Chandrika Hettiarchchige.

New Zeland’s Tjitte Weistra – well known to Badzine readers as he is our columnist for the coaching section of our online magazine – played his best badminton to beat all competitors in the men’s singles +35 category, beating Carsten Loesch from Denmark 21-11, 21-12 in the final. Tjitte will soon share with us his experience on Badzine.

Other famous names were crowned as well in Richmond. Nick Ponting and Chris Hunt, for instance, grabbed gold together before facing each other in the mixed doubles final of the 40+ category, the former winning the battle with Julie Bradbury. The palm of the frustration must have gone to France’s Viviane Bonnay, in the women’s singles final 60+, with a waste of two match points in the decider before the unseeded French finally bowed to the top seed from Germany Renate Gabriel 21-16, 19-21, 23-21.

All results HERE