The reigning Barbados and Caribbean Ladies Squash Champion,Karen Meakins’, adventure at the 10th biennial World Squash Federation (WSF) World Masters Championships came to an end in the final of the Ladies Over-35 age group on Saturday August 28th in Cologne, Germany.
Meakins was beaten in straight games by the German top seed and overwhelming favourite and former World #6, Sabine Schoene [pronounced Sabeena Shurnah] 7-11, 8-11, 7-11 to claim a silver medal, which is also believed to be the first medal won by any player, male or female, from the Caribbean in the history of this event. Ten-time Barbados National Squash Champion, Meakins was disappointed to lose to the 1991 World Junior WoMen’s runner-up and 17-time former German national champion but was extremely satisfied with her overall performance in her first appearance in this age group at these World Masters Championships.
‘Sabine is a very good player,’ Karen noted after the Ladies Over-35 final. ‘She hits the ball so hard and was always in control. I was behind in all three games apart from when I won the first two points in the third game. It was a good match though, I pushed her harder than anyone else in the tournament and today’s match was played in a great spirit.’ She continued: ‘I am disappointed to lose obviously, because I really wanted to win it for Barbados, but I am so proud to have made it all the way to the final. I would just like to thank everyone from Barbados and across the Caribbean for all their support which I received via e-mail. It really means a lot to me.’ she added.
President of the Barbados Squash Association, Craig Archer, also noted that: ‘Historically very few players from this hemisphere have done particularly well at the World Masters. The dominant players usually hail from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England especially. In the Ladies Over-35 age category Karen is only the fifth player from the Pan American region to reach the final since the first event was held way back in 1983. The other four finalists were from the USA and Canada. No one from Latin America or the Caribbean region has ever gone this far, in any age group, so Karen’s silver medal has to be seen in this context. We are all simply delighted with Karen?s achievements and look forward to welcoming our heroine home next Wednesday afternoon (September 1st).’
10th WSF World Masters – Ladies +35 results – file no. 1
