CHELSEA PIERS CONNECTICUT SQUASH PLAYER MARINA STEFANONI MAKES HISTORY AT 2016 U.S. JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 23, 2016

DARIEN RESIDENT, STEFANONI IS THE YOUNGEST U19 NATIONAL JUNIOR CHAMPION AT ONLY THIRTEEN-YEARS OLD

(Stamford, CT – March 23, 2016) – Chelsea Piers Connecticut Squash player, Marina Stefanoni of Darien, C.T., made history this past weekend by becoming the youngest U19 Junior National Champion ever at the 2016 U.S. Junior National Championships.

Fourth-seeded Stefanoni took down top-seeded Mariam Kamal in the semifinals.  Kamal had defeated Stefanoni in all three of their previous encounters. In her final match, Stefanoni defeated first-time finalist Chloe Chemtob—whom she had beaten in two out of three encounters this season before the final—and took the final four games to win her first U19 national title.

At last year’s Junior National Championships, Stefanoni won the U13 title, beating friend and fellow Chelsea Piers team mate, Nina Mital in 3 games. This win was a part of a title-laden 2015, which included seven international Junior Open titles and the GU15 U.S. Junior Open title, before reaching 2016 British Open U15 final. Last summer, Stefanoni made her Team USA debut at the Pan American Juniors, and now furthers her bid to represent the U.S. at the 2016 World Junior Championships.

Stefanoni started competing in the U19 division on the Junior Championship Tour. She finished third at Harvard in September’s Massachusetts JCT, then won the Pennsylvania JCT in October, all before turning thirteen in November. In February, she won the Mid-Atlantic JCT.

“We are incredibly proud of Marina and everything she has achieved on the court thus far.” Chelsea Piers Connecticut Squash Director, Natalie Grainger, commented. “At only 13, she is already an accomplished player with immeasurable potential. With her enthusiasm, professionalism and love of the game, I am confident she will do great things in her squash career. We are excited to see what Marina will achieve next.”

Courtesy of US Squash

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