Student wins COSSA badminton title after undefeated season
Michelle Duong is on fire. The Holy Cross Secondary School student won every badminton match she played this season before claiming the girls singles COSSA title at Kenner Collegiate on Tuesday.
Now, Duong is off to OF SA A in Pain Court near Chattam in May after beating Moria Secondary School’s Jenny Wu in the COSSA finals. She won her first game 21-8 and her second 21-5 to take the match.
“The competition was really good,” Duong said of her competitors Tuesday.
Duong, 18, started playing badminton in Grade 9. She’s currently doing a victory lap at the Catholic high school. She played the first two years in doubles and the last two solo.
“I prefer doubles – it’s less running for me,” Duong said with a laugh.
But she didn’t have a partner last year or this year, so she played alone. She was unstoppable.
“I just did my best,” said Duong, who attributed her perfect score to her coaches and the people she practises with.
Kenner’s Tyler Hinchcliffe, 17, and Payton Tummon, 16, also took first place at COSSA. They won gold in girls doubles.
The pair beat a duo from Port Hope High School, winning 21-17 and 21-15 to the finals.
“It feels really good. I’m so excited,” said Hinchcliffe after coming off the court.
“It feels awesome,” Tummon added.
This season was the first time Hinchcliffe and Tummon teamed up, though they’ve both been playing for a few years.
Hinchcliffe said practice was the key to their success. Tummon thought playing aggressively and quickly with formation in mind helped them to win.
“We can really dominate,” Tummon said.
Although the pair won their spot to compete at OFSAA, they’re not going. Hinchcliffe, a international baccalaureate program student, has an exam at the same time as the tournament.
“And I’m so sorry about that,” Hinchcliffe turned and said to Tummon.
“That’s totally fine,” her partner replied with a smile.