Sarah Kraus, Staff Contributor
Instant elimination is tough. Just ask Nova Scotia’s Spencer Armsworthy.
In the first round of men’s singles badminton at the new Canada Games Centre, Armsworthy lost in three games to Saskatchewan’s Sean Lamb, ending his hopes of advancing to the next round.
The match was riddled with errors, as both players had difficulty keeping the birdie in play. As a result, the rallies were very short.
Armsworthy’s teammates said that with nine courts in the Centre, and spectator seating all around, it is often difficult to concentrate and maintain sight of the shuttle.
In the first game, Armsworthy read his lines well, which allowed him to pull off a win by a score of 21 – 13.
However, badminton is a best-of-three sport, and Armsworthy’s court awareness really faltered in the next two games, costing him precious points.
Lamb did a fantastic job of keeping his shots to the back of the court, where Armsworthy would mistakenly let them drop, thinking they were out. With four line judges plus a head official at each court, it was futile for either player to contest calls.
Lamb quickly took control of the match by playing aggressive smashes that frequently caught Armsworthy out of position.
While there were a lot of disappointed Nova Scotian spectators in the crowd, fans from across the country were able to watch the game online, as it was streamed live through Bell Aliant.
Lamb, sporting a Superman tattoo on his calf, went on to win his next game as well, and will continue his hunt for a medal.
Another Nova Scotian, Myles Dalton, was awarded a default victory this morning when his opponent withdrew due to a hamstring injury.
Editor’s Note: Sarah Kraus is a Kings’ journalism student and multi-sport athlete. She volunteered as a media representative with the Canada Games, and was based at Saint Mary’s. She also writes for the Gazette.
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