With close to 400 people in attendance over the course of the two-day event, the 2019 IBAK Kuwait Open Ranking tournament has been declared a resounding success. The tournament, which unfolded between May 2nd – May 3rd, 2019 at IBAK Salwa Gym is one of a multitude of events within the National elite circuit.
It was, indeed, a packed house with many of Kuwait’s most elite participants representing other clubs and areas and were bleachers packed with fans and spectators. Last weekend’s competition displayed an impressive showing by all the athletes. This being the first tournament of the calendar year, many of the participants took their game to the next level to begin 2019 with a place on the podium. The following is a complete Summary of Results
Flight 1- Men’s Doubles Professional, often referred to as the showcase event in the sport, offered up one of the most thrilling finishes the 10-year running event has ever seen. The sheer pace and skill at this event was arguably second to none for spectators to witness over the course of the weekend. On Friday, the final day of the tournament, the scores posted leading up to the final match were too close to predict which team would emerge victorious. Ultimately, it was Arshad NV and Joshy Vyshak who defeated Bader Kalliparambil and Don Francis.
Flight 2- Men’s Doubles Advanced Doubles pair, Ajay Varghese and Basith Bader played hard throughout the week, landing them in the Finals. Despite a strong performance, the two were happy to finish on the podium, earning a Second place. They were beaten by Nahas NJ and Gireesh DS.
In the Flight 3 - Open Doubles Intermediate event, Vinish George and partner Litto George made it to the Championship Final, but suffered a tough loss to Jomon Joseph and John Eldhos.
In flight 4 – open Beginners Doubles category, it was the battle between Halick Mohammed and Lineesh James had a tough knock in the finals to beat Jacob Puri and John Puri.
Men’s Singles category showcased immense stamina and skillset throughout the tournament to underline the fact that determination always pays off. Varun Sriram Clinched the tittle beating Arshad NV.
With some tough losses and spirited wins, the IBAK Kuwait Open Ranking Tournament 2019 was full of excitement and thrill as athletes who competed throughout the two days competition were able to claim their spot on the podium.