BC Juniors Deliver Standout Performances at the 2025 US Junior Open
More than 20 Squash BC junior athletes travelled down to Philadelphia for the 2025 US Junior Open, closing out an exceptional year of competition. BC athletes made their presence known among a field of over 970 top juniors, representing 45 countries, from around the world, highlighted by Eugenie Cao’s championship win in the Girls U11 division. Wing Kai Gladys Ho and Joelle Kim also delivered impressive results, finishing 5th and 6th in their respective age groups.
Eugenie Cao Crowned Girls U11 Champion
Fresh off a 4th-place finish at the Canadian Junior Open (CJO) while competing up an age category in Girls U13, Eugenie Cao continued her outstanding form in Philadelphia. She dropped only one game across four matches on her way to the final, where she faced top seed Elizabeth Kung (USA).
Eugenie stormed out to a two-game lead before Kung battled back to force a deciding fifth game. In a thrilling finish, Eugenie held strong to capture the 2025 US Junior Open Girls U11 title.
Gladys Ho Battles to 5th in a Deep Girls U19 Field
Coming off her 2025 Canadian Junior Open (CJO) title, Wing Kai Gladys Ho entered the Girls U19 draw as the number 7 seed and cruised into the quarter-finals, dropping just one game. There, she faced the number 2 seed Savannah Moxham (Belgium). Gladys took the opening game 11-7 before Moxham rallied to win the match in four.
In the ⅝ consolation semifinal, Gladys mounted an incredible comeback against number 3 seed Laura Silva (Brazil), recovering from a two-game deficit to win in five. She carried that momentum into the 5th place match, edging out the number 8 seed Emily Coulcher-Porter (England) in another five-game thriller to secure 5th overall.
Joelle Kim Finishes 6th in Girls U17
Following her 2025 Canadian Junior Open title, Joelle Kim entered the Girls U17 draw as a 9/16 seed. She opened with a gritty five-game win over number 8 seed Akaisha Bhatia (USA) to reach the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, Joelle faced top seed Charlotte Sze (USA), whose strong play pushed Joelle into the ⅝ consolation bracket. Joelle responded with a dominant performance against number 5 seed Eriak Qin (USA), conceding only 11 total points. She ultimately finished 6th overall after falling to England’s Harriet Broadbridge in the 5th place match.
Additional Top 20 BC results
Squash BC congratulates the following athletes on strong finishes in their divisions:
- Rhea Zhang – Girls U11 – 12/16th place
- Joanna Zheng – Girls U13 – 11/12th place
- Mabelle Sy – Girls U13 – 17th place
- Veera Dhaliwal – Girls U17 – 11/12th place
Celebrating a Strong Year for BC Juniors
Squash BC extends a heartfelt congratulations to all athletes and coaches who travelled to Philadelphia and proudly represented our province. Their performances showcased the depth, determination, and rising talent of BC’s junior squash community.
We look forward to an exciting 2026 and can’t wait to see what these incredible young athletes achieve next.
For full tournament results, please check out the 2025 US Junior Open Club Locker page.