JAMAICA picked up five bronze medals and are on course for a gold medal following yesterday’s day four action at the Ocean Spray/Wata XX Pan-Am Junior Badminton Championship at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

All of Jamaica’s five medals were gained in losing semi-final efforts, in which semi-final losers are guaranteed bronze medals.

But Jamaica’s Shane Wilson shone brightest among his compatriots and is on course for the gold medal after securing Jamaica’s only victory yesterday and moved into the final of the Boys’ Under-13 Singles.

Shane Wilson, the number one seed, turned back Brazil’s Fabricio Farias 21-15, 23-21 and will meet Canada’s Desmond Wang in the gold medal match today.

Shane’s older brother Sean, was not so lucky, losing to American top seed Albert Li 21-9, 8-21, 18-21 in the Under-15 Boys’ Singles.

Nevertheless, Sean earned Jamaica’s first bronze medal and was quickly followed by Samuel Ricketts, who lost his semi-final clash to top seeded Nathan Osbourne of Canada 21-16, 14-21, 18-21 in a close encounter in the Boys’ Under-17 Singles.

Jamaica’s Under-11 Girls’ Doubles pair of Shannon Morgan and Emily Reynolds picked up Jamaica’s third bronze medal, losing easily 21-4, 21-8 in 15 minutes, in their semi-final match against the number one seeds, Americans Jennie Gai and Julie Yang.

Jamaica’s Under-13 Girls’ Doubles pair of Alana Bailey and Shantae Smith had to settle for bronze after losing 21-7, 21-8 to Americans Breanna Chi and Stephanie Yu.

The Boys’ Under-15 Doubles pair of Shevon Salmon and Sean Wilson succumbed to the Americans Raymond Hsia and Albert Li 21-16, 21-13.

Meanwhile, Clinton Wong of Canada and Guatemala’s Heymard Humblers advanced to the final of the Boys’ Under-19 final with wins over Antonio Ocegueda of Mexico and Canada’s Andrew Lau, respectively.

Wong dispatched Ocegueda 21-14, 21-13 and Humblers humbled Lau 21-10, 16-21, 21-14.

In the Girls’ Under-19 Singles, Brazil’s Luana Tamara Vicente dumped the top ranked player in the competition, Daneysha Santana of Puerto Rico out of the tournament 21-18, 21-16. Vicente will play Mexico’s Mariana Ugalde, who dismissed American Samantha Li 21-17, 21-12.

It was a very impressive day for the Americans, as up to press time they had won 17 matches in all categories and were scheduled to play in at least nine more matches.

Eric Chang remained on course for three gold medals in the Under-11 division, after he dismissed Peru’s Gustavo Salazar 23-13, 21-10 in the Singles.

He then teamed up with Zachary Chang to beat the Brazilian pair Felipe Banzato and Mateus Benatti 21-4, 21-7 in the Boys’ Doubles, and is the number one seed in the Mixed Doubles with Breanna Chi.

Eric Chang will meet countryman Clayton Cayen in the Boys’ final, while Breanna Chi is scheduled to play Jennie Gai, also of the US in the Girls’ final.

Stephanie Yu and Canada’s Erin O’Donoghue will meet in the Girls’ Under-13 Singles final, while two Americans will also contest the Boys’ Under-15 in Albert Li and Justin Ma.

Likewise, the Girls’ Under-15 final will see two Americans, Christine Yang and Micaela Lum battling to the end for gold and silver.

Cherie Chow continued the Americans domination, reaching the final of the Girls’ Under-17 Singles against Camilla Garcia of Peru.