Wilson brothers, Ricketts keep Ja’s medal hopes alive
THE Wilson brothers Shane and Sean, along with Samuel Ricketts kept Jamaica’s individual medal hopes alive at the Ocean Spray Wata XX Pan-Am Junior Badminton Championship at the National Indoor Sports Centre yesterday.
Meanwhile, three doubles teams also advanced to the semi-final round and host Jamaica are guaranteed of at least six medals in what head coach Howard Ranger described as a fairly satisfying day.
“We are fairly satisfied as we are guaranteed at least six medals of which colour we don’t know as yet,” Ranger told the Observer.
Young Shane Wilson, the number one seed in the Under-13 Boys Singles, came from behind to beat Gokul Kalyanasundaram of the United States of America (USA), 17-21, 21-12, 21-18.
Shane will play Brazil’s Fabricio Farias, who turned back his compatriot Jonathan De Souza 21-17, 19-21, 21-6.
Shane’s older brother Sean defeated Canada’s Jason Ho-Shue in three tight sets, 22-20, 18-21, 23-21 and will play American Albert Li, who defeated Cleyson Dos Santos of Brazil 21-11, 21-18.
Sean also advanced to the semi-final of the Boys’ Doubles, partnering Shevon Salmon in a 21-13, 21-18 win over the Brazilians Cleyson Dos Santos and Gabriel Salgado.
The Jamaicans will take on number one seeds Raymond Hsia and Albert Li of the USA.
Jamaica’s top medal hope and number two seed Anthony McNee crashed out in the Boys’ Under-19 Singles, losing 21-13, 12-21, 7-21 to Antonio Ocegueda of Mexico.
McNee, who won a medal at last year’s championship, was nursing an injured foot according to coach Ranger.
However, Samuel Ricketts progressed to the medal round of the Boys’ Under-17 Singles, beating Brazil’s Ygor De Oliveira 21-17, 15-21, 21-17. He will next play number one seed Nathan Osbourne of Canada.
The Under-13 Girls’ Doubles pair of Alana Bailey and Shantae Smith had a walkover against Brazil’s Monaliza Feltosa and Samia Lima and will play the top seeded American pair of Breanna Chi and Stephanie Yu.
In the Under-11 Girls’ Doubles, Jamaicans Shannon Morgan and Emily Reynolds will have their hands full against the American top seeds Jennie Gai and Julie Yang.
