Ace Bargh beats ex-international

The Sedlescombe-based talent overcame Heidi Bender en route to coming second in the 96th All England Senior Open Badminton Championships 2012.

Bargh said of her 22-20, 22-24, 21-10 victory over the second seed: “I beat her in three which was like winning the championships because she’s got a very good reputation.”

But the Freedom Leisure Summerfields coach had to settle for the runners-up position after losing 18-21, 14-21 to Danish top seed Lone Knudsen, who she beat to retain the over-45 singles title last year.

“After beating Heidi I had too much excitement,” continued Bargh. “I’ve learnt from that to try and settle after a big match, and stop and think ‘this is a different game, different style of player, calm down and refocus.”

Bargh also lined-up in the over-45s women’s doubles with Cheshire-based partner Kay Vickers. They were drawn in group B which was reduced to three pairs after the withdrawal of second seeds Betty Blair and Debbie Miller.

Although Bargh and Vickers saw off Chris Summers and Tracy Walker 21-8, 21-17, they lost to the Dutch pair of Sandra Kroon and Jeannette Vd Werff 17-21, 21-17, 14-21 and had to settle for second in the group.

See Friday’s Observers for the full article.