U 11 Middlesex, 15 March 08

 

A sports hall near Heathrow proved to be another take off point for Aidan Gibbons, as he picked up two medals in the U 11 tournament.

 

In the singles the huge entry of boys produced two halves, with a total of twelve boxes in all. Aidan was in the bottom half, and won his box relatively  omfortably, only dropping one game, and that one to 10 - 11. He
then had a knock out game before reaching the quarter finals.

In the KO he beat Harry Arksey, 11 - 6, 7 - 11, 11 - 3; and in the quarter finals he faced Dorset player, Cameron Jones, who he only played a few weeks ago in a county match. Aidan won 11 - 5, 11 - 5.

That set up a semi final against Robert Micklewright from Kent, which Aidan won 11 - 2, 11 - 9, and thus made his way to his first final at this level. He faced old friend and rival, and England player, Ben Lane. Ben was just too good for Aidan, who lost 6 - 11, 9 - 11, but he was delighted to receive his silver medal as his reward.

 

In the doubles he was playing with Finn Connor-Watson from Durham. The Connor-Watsons are old friends, as both Aidan and his older brother Kieran, met Finn's older brother four years ago at a Lee Jae Bok coaching week in Bolton. As a result the Connor-Watsons decided to make the long trip from Durham just to play doubles with Aidan, and it proved to be a successful
partnership. Coming through their box with only one game dropped, that led through to a quarter final where they beat the highly charged pair of A Larn and G Axton from Sussex, 5 - 11, 11 - 8, 11 - 8. The semi final was against Heniemann and Tung from Surry, and the boys took it, 8 - 11, 11 - 6, 11- 3.

Once more Aidan faced Ben Lane in a final, this time with Ben playing with Matthew Clare from Yorkshire. Ben and Matthew won 11 - 5, 11 - 7, but it meant that Aidan won his second silver medal of the day.

 

A long exhausting day, in which Aidan played only three games in the first four hours of the day, and then ten matches in the final four hours. He was a very pleased and very tired boy on the way home. As were the dads.

 

 

Aidan with medals.

 

Doubles Silver medalists.