ONLINE AT THE BULLETIN Duo star at state event
Gold medals for pair as junior careers wind down
with Brett Wilkie
TWEED’S Kira Bourke and Helensvale’s Corey Marshall have won two gold medals each in the state junior championships held in Toowoomba.
Bourke, in her final year of juniors, made it back-to-back under-18 girls singles titles after defeating
Olivia Rothwell.
Locked together at 15-all, it was Bourke’s steadier play that saw her take the match 21-15 in a replay of last year’s final.
Nick Cahill from Kawana, also in his last junior championships, won the boys under-18 singles to claim his third gold medal for the week after winning the open pairs and open fours.
Enoggera’s
Bourke teamed with Jake Rynne and Ty Jesberg to win the open triples, and she claimed a silver in the open fours and bronze in the under-18 open pairs with Rynne.
This wraps up a stellar junior career for Bourke including winning the past three Australian junior singles titles and many Victorian and Queensland junior state titles.
She will now be trying to gain selection in the open or under-25 Queensland teams due to play NSW in July.
Marshall won the open fours with Cahill, Kane Nelson and Caysee Wilson before going on to win the under-15 open pairs with Syarra Blain of Victoria Point.
The under-15 girls singles final provided a close finish in an all-Helensvale Hawks match, with Sophie Allan snatching the gold medal from clubmate Sophie Kiepe 21-19 in a thrilling finish.
Following the championships, this year’s Queensland junior squads were announced, with Marshall making it into the boys group for the first time.
The 2020 Queensland junior squads are:
Girls: Syarra Blain (Victoria Point), Zayah Morgan (Capalaba), Caysee Wilson (Kawana), Chloe Runge (Glasshouse), Olivia Rothwell (Enoggera), Hannah Ogden (Burnett), Ashleigh Knight (Mackay City), Breeanna Pegg (Burnett).
Boys: Jake Rynne (North Toowoomba), Kane Nelson (Belmont), Ty Jesberg (Longreach), Shane Rideout (Monto), John Hammond (Roma), Corey Marshall (Helensvale), Caleb Bowles (Swifts), Brad Flegler (Enoggera).