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Collin Matiza Sports Editor
IT’S two out of two for Zimbabwe junior squash champion Taine Turnock.

After winning the boys Under-19 title at the Zimbabwe Junior Championships at St. George’s College in Harare towards the end of last month, Turnock was at it again this past weekend when he emerged as the top dog in the same age-group.

This time around, Turnock walked away with the boys Under-19 title after beating his old foe Harry Lawton 3-0 in the final at Highlands Sports Club.

He was joined on the winners’ podium by Polite Mubure who was crowned the girls Under-19 champion following her straightforward 3-0 victory over Hannah Mannion.

There was also joy for Hamza Patel and Laura Lagesse who walked away with the boys and girls Under-16 titles respectively.

In the boys Under-16 final, Patel was stretched to four sets by the Zimbabwe Under-14 champion Rukudzo Midzi, who decided to fight against older boys in the Under-16 category in which he fought all the way to the last two where he finally fell 3-1 to the former.

Lagesse was also all smiles at the end of the tournament at the weekend after beating Caityline Hendrikse in the girls Under-16 final.

The boys Under-14 title was clinched by Nicholas Anderson after beating Michael Westhof 3-0 in the final while the girls crown went to Delight Nyakabawo who won it ahead of Anatsa Hook and Ruvarashe Chibaya.

Nicholas Anderson also claimed a place on the winners’  podium after defeating Dhireni Ramabhai in the boys Under-13 final. Third place went to Elton Mukumba.

Kilah Love also did well to win the girls Under-11 title  and she was emulated by Zaidan Patel who won the boys crown ahead of Raif Jinnah.

Matches at this year’s Mashonaland Junior Championships were held at the following venues in Harare: Belgravia Sports Club (boys Under-16), Highlands Sports Club (boys and girls Under-19), Old Georgians Sports Club (boys and girls Under-11, 13, 14), and St John’s College (girls Under-16).

And there were lots of changes in the competition where the likes of Nicholas Anderson played in both the boys Under-13 and 14 categories and won both sections, which  was unbelievable.

It also saw another youngster Midzi, who played in the boys Under-14 section at the Zimbabwe Junior Championships and won it, moving to play in the Under-16 age-group where he emerged as the first runnner-up.

One of the tournament’s organisers, Mashumba Mukumba, told The Herald at the weekend that a lot of children are now playing as they are inspired by scholarships that awaits those who excel in both academics and squash.

UK-based Ryan Gwidzima has also inspired a lot of these players after he obtained a squash scholarship in England late last year.