SOLANGE GUZMAN continued her tremendous form, in Venezuela, recently.

A few days after picking up silver medals in singles and doubles at the Caribbean Badminton Championships (CAREBACO) in the Dominican Republic, the Cuban captured a triple crown in the Venezuela Badminton Internacional Tournament.

It was the second time in the space of a month that Guzman had struck gold in three events, as she had also done the trick in her first attempt at the National Championships.

The 27-year-old, who migrated to Trinidad and Tobago over two years ago and is in the process of becoming a citizen, overpowered Camila Macaya 21-11, 21-8 in the title match of the South American tournament, after whipping Macaya's fellow Chilean, Tingting Chow 21-16, 21-14, in the semifinals.

Later, Guzman and 50-year-old Virginia Chariandy Balwant came from behind to edge Macaya and Chow 15-21, 21-17, 21-17 in the doubles final, after upsetting Venezuelan sisters, Daniela and Gabriela Araujo 21-13, 21-15.

Balwant, one of the Caribbean's leading players in the late 1970s and 80s who came out of retirement about five years ago, and Guzman had also secured this title at "Nationals", and collected the silver medal at CAREBACO.

Guzman had to work overtime to complete the triple crown in Venezuela, as she and Rahul Rampersad nosed out Maria Vijande and Oskar Martinez of Spain, 23-21, 19-21, 22-20 for mixed doubles gold.

Rampersad, the two-time defending national men's singles champion who reached the quarterfinals at CAREBACO, and Guzman had beaten Reuben Castellanos and Ana Lucia De Leon 21-16, 21-13 in the semifinals.

Leanna Castanada was the other T&T player in the tournament. The runner-up at the National Championships was eliminated in the women's singles quarterfinals.