Sunlite Sports and Cultural Club secured a triumphant victory in the Republic Cup Team Championship Badminton event, showcasing their prowess in the one-day event featuring sub-junior, junior, and youth players from Goa. Captained by Niraj Humraskar, the club’s exceptional performance at the Navelim Indoor Stadium marked a memorable triumph for a team which were rated underdogs to start with, in this league team event held on the occasion of Republic Day.
The intense tournament unfolded with a climactic finale, where Sunlite SCC faced off against home favorites BPS Sports Club, captained by Harsh Mane. The gripping final match unfolded with Sunlite SCC emerging as the champions after an enthralling battle, securing victory with a 10 points margin.
In the third place play-off, a remarkable moment was witnessed when Raging Rhinos executed a phenomenal comeback, overcoming a daunting 12-point deficit to secure the 2nd Runners-Up position against Radiant Sports Club Ponda. Captain Aryan Kumar and Rutav Kanbar emerged as the stars of the Raging Rhinos team in a thrilling, edge-of-the-seat final game.
Soham Naik and Amaira Dhumatkar emerged as Outstanding Players of the Tournament. Jonas Fernandes, Aryan Kumar, Anaya Kamat, and Michael Mare earned Outstanding performance honours for their exceptional play. The League witnessed 8 teams in action, each team featuring 12 players.
The league stage witnessed fierce competition, with BPS Sports Club and Radiant Sports Club dominating Group A, while Sunlite SCC led Group B. Raging Rhinos secured the runner-up position in Group B, narrowly edging out Edcon Chargers by a slim 2-point margin. Kedar’s Smashers, South Stallions, and Shuttle Kings were the other three teams that competed and displayed sportsmanship in the highly competitive league.
Organised by Panjim Smashers Club and Sunlite Sports Club, in collaboration with Goa Badminton Association and the Sports Authority of Goa, the Republic Cup Team Championship Badminton event not only showcased exceptional badminton skills but also emphasised the importance of fostering team spirit, camaraderie, and bonding among young participants.
The prize distribution was graced by by Santosh George, Yogiraj Kamat, and Roopesh Mane, GBA office-bearers Narahar Thakur and Sandeep Heble, co-organizers Rupchandra Humaraskar and Bhushan Vernekar, Technical Advisor Vinayak Kamat, and Sports Promoter Naveed Tahasildar, among others. Chinmay Kamat (President, Panjim Smashers Club), Ninad Kamat (Team Owner, Shuttle Kings), Kunal Sanvordekar (Team Edcon Chargers), Kedar Bhobe (Team Owner, Kedar’s Smashers), and Praveen Shenoy (Secretary, South Goa District Badminton Association) were some of the other core members who graced the event during the earlier part of the day.
