McVeigh’s back on the podium

A quarter-final loss to World No2 Krysten Coombs in three tough sets followed by a GOLD in the Doubles will have delighted Alpha’s Niall McVeigh on his return from Odense and the Victor Denmark Para-Badminton competition as he continues his preparations for the Paralympics in Tokyo.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Oct 2019, 11:55 BST
Niall McVeigh continues his preparations for Tokyo 2020Niall McVeigh continues his preparations for Tokyo 2020
Niall McVeigh continues his preparations for Tokyo 2020

The two times World and European Para-Badminton champion has had his ups and downs in his preparations towards Tokyo but in Denmark the Doubles win with Isaak Dalglish was without doubt the icing on the cake after finishing top of Group E in the Men’s Singles in the Short Stature 6 class.

Despite a tight opening set against Peru’s Hector Jesus Salva Tunque he was to go into his second match having brushed aside his opponent 21-16 21-9 in just over the half-hour mark.

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Miles Krajewski (USA) has come off a series of good performances including two Men’s Singles quarter-finals in the World Championships in Basel at the end of August when he lost 21-16 21-16 to Nagar Krishna, the No3/4 seed, while in Thailand in September he was to lose to the top seeded Jack Shephard.

Trevor Woods, Club Manager at Lisburn Racquets Club, is delighted to be selected as one of Lidl (Lurgan) winners for their Community Works Sports for Good grants. Trevor is pictured with Chano Pryce-McClure, Chloe Woods, Paige Woods and Che Pryce-McClureTrevor Woods, Club Manager at Lisburn Racquets Club, is delighted to be selected as one of Lidl (Lurgan) winners for their Community Works Sports for Good grants. Trevor is pictured with Chano Pryce-McClure, Chloe Woods, Paige Woods and Che Pryce-McClure
Trevor Woods, Club Manager at Lisburn Racquets Club, is delighted to be selected as one of Lidl (Lurgan) winners for their Community Works Sports for Good grants. Trevor is pictured with Chano Pryce-McClure, Chloe Woods, Paige Woods and Che Pryce-McClure

But it was McVeigh who dominated the exchanges, clinching his second group win 21-9 21-9 so that a victory in his final group match would see him booking his place in the last 16 as he cruised to a 21-13 21-12 victory over Canada’s Wyatt Lightfoot, in just 17 minutes.

Niall continued to progress into the quarter-final with a commanding 21-7 21-8 victory over Serbia’s Djordje Koprivica and could hardly have started better against his long time adversary Krysten Coombs in the quarter-final.

They last faced each other in a Men’s Singles back in August in the BWF Para-Badminton World Championships when the England No2 won the third round encounter 21-13 21-10 in 28 minutes but this time McVeigh’s preparations had been going really well and he took the opening set 21-18.

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The second saw both vying for pole position and Coombs drew level to take the match into a decider 21-17 and as the match moved to the 55 th minutes mark, it was Coombs who was to book his place in the semi-final 21-15 though Coombs was to exit the singles in the next round losing 21-15 in the deciding set to Nagar Krishna with England’s Jack Shephard taking the title 21-17 21-18.

Doubles Champions

Niall teamed up with Isaak Dalglish, the talented young England star, and they were seeded ½ and won Group B without dropping a single set.

Their opening match was a 21-8 21-17 victory over the French pairing of Fabien Morat and Charles Noakes lasting 17 minutes and were just as convincing when they ended the hopes of Nina Kozlova and Simone Emilie Meyer Larsen, winning 21-10 21-9.

They then accounted for Miles Krajewski (USA) and Wyatt Lightfoot (Canada) 21-13 21-13 in the semi-final with the French pair Fabien Morat and Charles Noakes as their opponents in the final.

Of course having already recorded a straight forward two set victory over the French pair it was McVeigh and Dalglish who were to capture the Doubles title 21-11 21-11.

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