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 News from Around the Americas | September 2007 
Jamaican Badminton Players Head Off to Pan Am Junior Champs in Mexico
 Paul Burrowes - Jamaica Observer
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Jamaica is sending a 19-member team to the September 11-16 Pan American Junior Badminton Championships in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
They are expected to better the 12-medal haul garnered at last year's championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Dominant 16-year-old Gareth Henry, the Wilson brothers Sean and Shane, Mikaylia Haldane and Shana-Kay Bailey will spearhead the team's medal charge.
Henry won the open senior singles titles earlier this year at the Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) and Racketeers International tournaments. He teamed up with Chadwick Parsons to win last year's Pan Am Under-17 boys doubles and they showed that they have not lost their form when they captured the CBA open doubles this year.
Haldane and Bailey are proving to be effective replacements for Shanelle Peart and Alyssa Woon, both of whom have migrated to the United States. They should hold their own in the doubles and individual events for Under-15s.
The Wilson brothers, 10-year-old Sean and nine-year-old Shane are seen as gold prospects for Under-11s.
Last year's national Under-13 and Under-11 champion, Sean Wilson, was unable to make the trip to Brazil, but Jamaica's representative, Samuel Ricketts, came good with two Pan Am silver medals. Ricketts moves up to Under-13 this year.
Howard Ranger and Lisco Jackson will travel as coaches, with Audley Astwood as manager.
The team is leaving in four groups over three days.
The first set left Sunday, with the others leaving yesterday and today.
Team events will take place September 11-12, and individual events September 13-16. Last year Jamaica placed fourth in the team event after Peru, Canada and USA, and won 12 medals in individual competitions - one gold, three silver, and eight bronze medals.
Team: Under-19 - Parsons, Dayvon Reid, Shawn Forrester, Sabrine Cain; Under-17 - Henry, Tossainte Taylor; Under-15 - Haldane, Bailey, Anthony McNee, Jordan Roberts, Johnathan Tomlinson, Nikole Lyn; Under-13 - Ricketts, Tremar Barham, Jade Clarke, Alexandra Beckford; Under-11 - Sean and Shane Wilson, Shevon Salmon.
Last year's Under-17 doubles gold medal winners in the Pan Am Junior Badminton Championships, Gareth Henry (centre) and Chadwick Parsons, seen here receiving their winners trophies from the National Baking Company's representative in the (local) Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) Badminton Tournament's Open Doubles earlier this year. |
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