Bargh banks fifth national title

Evergreen badminton star Cathy Bargh has clinched her fifth English National Masters Championships title.
Cathy Bargh with her prize for winning the over-50 women's singles at the English National Masters Badminton Championships 2013Cathy Bargh with her prize for winning the over-50 women's singles at the English National Masters Badminton Championships 2013
Cathy Bargh with her prize for winning the over-50 women's singles at the English National Masters Badminton Championships 2013

Sedlescombe-based Bargh, a professional badminton coach at Freedom Leisure Summerfields in Hastings, retained the over-50 women’s singles crown at the University of Worcestershire Arena last weekend.

“I was relieved to win the title,” said Bargh, who previously captured the over-40 singles in the 2002/03 season, and the over-45 title in 2007/08 and 2008/09.

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“I wasn’t feeling that great because I’ve been swishing about all over the place coaching, but I concentrated well. It just seems so much harder at the moment. I need to rest up for a while and I rarely say that.”

Despite not feeling as well prepared as usual, Bargh still won all three of her matches without dropping a game. She beat former winner Linda Wood (Derbyshire), Janet Walker (Worcestershire) - who has won one of the age groups in the past - and Ursula Heale (Durham).

Bargh was also a doubles runner-up for the third time after teaming up with Kay Vickers to reach the over-50 women’s doubles final. The number two seeds topped their four-strong box before losing to the top seeded pair in the decider.

It’s been another great year for Bargh, highlighted by winning a singles bronze medal at the World Seniors Championships in Turkey. She was also a runner-up in the All-England Championships and helped England beat Scotland in the McCoig Trophy.

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