The annual ITF 13 & under Caribbean Development Championships were held in Suriname from August 28 to September 3, 2011.
Barbados was represented by Andrew Symmonds, Joshua Worme, Symphony Griffith and Ilana Blackwood and were accompanied by team coach Julian Baird.
Both Symmonds and Worme put in good performances with each winning 4 of their 6 matches played. Symmonds place 7th overall and Worme, who won the back half of the main draw, placed 9th in the boys’ competition amongst a field of 27 competitors. The boys also reached the semi finals of the doubles losing their match 7-5, 3-6,11-9 to the Trinidadian team who went on the win the doubles final.
The girls did not fair as well with Symphony Griffith placing 8th and Ilana Blackwood placing 10th amongst a field of 14 competitors. The girls also reached the doubles semi final before losing to the Surinamese team.
Overall, team Barbados performed credibly, and Joshua Worme was awarded the medal for Best Sportsmanship in the boy’s category.
With the tournament administered by the ITF regional body, COTECC, other countries playing included Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Guyana, Jamaica, Netherlands Antilles, St Lucia, St Vincent, Trinidad and Tobago and hosts Suriname.
The boy’s competition was won by Jamaica with Aruba placing second. Antigua won the girls title.