The national badminton team ended the 2022 Benin International on a rousing note, amassing three golds at stake in all the doubles events at the Gymnase Institut Régional de Santé Publique in Ouidah Sunday.
Alvin Morada and Yssa Leonardo took two of these titles, including the all-Filipino final in mixed doubles.
Morada, a National University alumnus, and Leonardo, a De La Salle University product, took down fellow Filipinos Christian Bernardo and Thea Pomar, 21-13,18-21, 21-17, for the mixed doubles gold.
“It was a great performance for the players these past two tournaments in Africa, and to have both pairs in the finals in mixed doubles showed what we can do,” said head coach Rosman Razak.
Earlier, Morada and Bernardo made quick work of Nigeria’s Saddam Sidi Rufai and Khalil Safana Shamsuddeen, 21-12, 21-9, in the final of the men’s doubles while Leonardo and Pomar also fashioned a similar drubbing of Egypt’s Jana Abdelkader and Nour Ahmed Youssri, 21-13, 21-17, in the women’s side.
Singles players Jewel Angelo Albo and Mika de Guzman both exited the competition in the second round.
Albo lost to Malaysia’s Kim Sheng Chua, 10-21, 21-8, 19-21, while De Guzman bowed to third seed Amro Domou of Jordan, 21-19, 16-21, 14-21.
