Badminton: Medal success for Manx competitors in Essex

Jess Li makes last eight in national championships

The Isle of Man badminton squad has enjoyed more medal success whilst competing at the Essex Tier 4 competition at the weekend.

Among the highlights for the Manx side, Steven Quayle took silver in the men's singles taking three wins on the way to the final where he was only bested in three sets by Chan Sam Nok.

There were silver medals too for Annelise Mellor and Kitty Thomas in the women's doubles as they went all the way to the final before a three-set loss to Adeline Henderyckx and Catherine Wong of Cambridgeshire.

Meanwhile, a tough draw for Abi Mellor and Louise Mellor meant there weren't able to progress out of their group in the women's doubles.

Abi - contesting her first Badminton England event - managed one win and one defeat in Group C of the women's singles.

In the mixed doubles a win and a defeat for Quayle and Annelise Mellor meant they just missed out on the knockout phase, finishing second in Group G.

Elsewhere, fellow Island competitor Jess Li put in a positive display among some of England's best during this year's English National Badminton Championships in Nottingham from 3-4 February.

Taking part in the women's doubles event alongside Katie Scott, the pairing took victory on the opening day in the Round-of-16, beating Lucy Brierley and Matilda Franklin.

However the duo would be halted later in the day at the quarter-final stage as Li and Scott suffered a straight-sets defeat at the hands of Sian Kelly and Elizabeth Tolman.