JAMAICA improved its medal tally to seven, including three gold, one silver and three bronze at press time on day five of the 2010 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, yesterday after earning two bronze medals in badminton.

Gareth Henry added the first individual badminton medal, earning a bronze in the mens’ individual compeititon after he was defeated 21-7, 21-11 by Guatemala’s Kevin Cordon in the semi-finals.

Henry later teamed up with Garron Palmer for a bronze in the men’s doubles despite being beaten 2-0 by the Guatemalan pair of Cordon and Rodolfo Ramirez.

All losing semi-finalists earn bronze medals in the men’s individual competition. Palmer has a shot at another medal as he was paired with Kristal Karjohn for the mixed doubles, while Henry was teamed with Alya Lewis, also in the mixed doubles semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Jamaica were trounced 3-0 by Guatemala in their opening tie of the men’s team table tennis competition.

Peter Moo Young and Joseph Dibbs were beaten 3-0 and 3-1, respectively, in their individual matches before the team of Moo Young and Simon Tomlinson were defeated 3-0 in their doubles encounter.

The Jamaicans were due to play St Lucia at press time. They will face El Salvador today.

In the pool, Victoria Ho clocked 9:26.35 for first in the women’s 800m freestyle final ahead of Laura Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic in 9:30.44, with Damile De La Tour of Puerto Rico third in 9:31.45.

The women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team of Kendese Nangle, Alia Atkinson, Victoria Ho, and Natasha Moodie posted the 3:56.04 for second in heat two and had the fourth fastest time entering the final.

Brad Hamilton clocked the 14th fastest time overall 24.94 seconds and failed to advance past heat three of the men’s 50m butterfly.

Ramon Walton’s time of 28.19 seconds was good enough for third in heat one of the 50m backstroke while Timothy Wynter clocked 28.25 for sixth in heat three but neither advanced.

Jason Vincent-Adams was last in heat two of the men’s 200m Individual Medley in 2:27.60 while Dominic Walter was also last in heat two of the boys 400m freestyle.

Jamaica is the top Anglo-Caribbean team in the Games table with seven medals, including three gold claimed by Atkinson in swimming, a squash bronze medal earned by Christopher Binnie and a silver in men’s team badminton.

The medal table is led by Colombia with 115 including 54 gold, 31 silver, and 30 bronze, they are followed by Venezuela with 144 including 46 gold, 49 silver, and 49 bronze, Mexico with 124, hosts Puerto Rico 57, the Dominican Republic with 43, and Guatemala with 22.

Jamaicans return to the pool today as Natasha Moodie and Atkinson line up in heats three and four of the women’s 50m freestyle, while Atkinson is the lone Jamaican in the 50m breaststroke.

Nangle and Alexi Royal-Eatmon compete in heats one and two of the 200m backstroke. The men will take to the pool in heat one of the 4x100m medley relay.