An unbeaten record ensured victory for St Margaret’s Junior School, Rainham, in the first badminton tournament staged by Medway Messenger Mini Youth Games.

The squad of six players from the Rainham school won eight matches to take the crown ahead of Featherby Junior School, Gillingham, and Wainscott Primary School, Rochester, which was also best-placed small school.
More than 100 players from 13 Medway schools took part in the event, held at the Black Lion Leisure Centre, Gillingham.

Each school played eight matches, competing in boys’ girls’ and mixed doubles’ games. The fair play shield, for sportsmanship, was awarded to Sherwin Knight Junior School, Strood.

The prizes for the best individual boy and girl, went to Callum Wright from Riverside Primary, Rainham and Hannah Spring from Fairview Community, Wigmore. They each received a racket donated by Badminton England.

The event was run by Medway Council’s sports development team with the support of volunteers from Medway Badminton Association, the Greenacre and Howard Schools Sports Partnerships and council-run sports leadership programmes.

Sports development officer John Hatchett said: “Badminton is a thriving sport in Medway and we are really pleased to have been able to add it to the programme for this year.”