Promising squash player Nazhir Smith claimed victory in the boys’ under-19 division at the Digicel Junior National Championships yesterday.

Smith, 17, defeated Kion Knights 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 at the Bermuda Squash Racquets Club in Devonshire to win his maiden under-19 title.

The No?1 seed praised Knights, his training partner, who had been in the hunt for his second title, having won the under-15 division with a 5-11, 11-6, 11-8, 5-11, 11-5 triumph over Dylan Muldoon.

“I thought it was a good performance,” said Smith, who lost in the under-19 final last year.

“I beat Kion three-love today, but he had a five-set match earlier in the day, so I’m sure he was a bit tired.”

“This is an important tournament because it’s only for the juniors and it gives them a chance to play each other and see their progression against each other.”

In the girls’ under-19 category, Emma Keane, the top seed, beat Susanna Armano 11-6, 14-12, 11-5 to successfully defend her title.

Armano had already claimed victory in the under-17 division, defeating Olivia Lindsey 11-6, 11-9, 11-7.

There was double glory for Anaya Smith, who won the boys’ under-15 and under-13 titles with victories over Dylan Pratt (8-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8) and Taylor Carrick (8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-5).

In the girls’ under-15 division, Olivia Lindsey enjoyed a straight-sets victory over Ashlynne Matthews, 11-3, 11-8, 11-3, while Charlotte Toogood claimed the under-13 title after beating Abigail Brewer 11-5, 11-0, 11-3.

Oscar Lindsey won top honours in the boys’ under-11 division with a 11-9, 11-6, 11-9 victory over Matthew Elliott and, in the girls’ under-11 age category, Casey Morris enjoyed a comfortable 11-5, 11-0, 11-1 win over Ariana Lowther.

The two-day championships featured more than 40 youngsters vying for titles in ten different age categories.