CHRISTOPHER Binnie, Charles Pyne and Alia Atkinson made their presence felt on the opening day of XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico yesterday.

Some 6,000 athletes from 42 countries are taking part in 36 sports over two weeks.

Christopher Binnie took 32 minutes to knock off Jose Mendez of Guatemala, 11-5, 11-4, 13-11, to advance to the second round of the men’s singles at the Squash Complex.

The 22-year-old Binnie, in the top half of the draw, was scheduled to take on American Christopher Gordon last night in the round of 16.

Binnie was a semi-finalist at the CAC in Colombia and failed to progress from the first round at the Commonwealth Games last year.

One of the top three players in the United States, the 25-year-old, 6ft-3in, Gordon is ranked at 75 in the world.

Alia Atkinson clocked 1 minute 1.41 seconds to finish second in heat three of the women’s 100m butterfly to secure a place in the A final scheduled for last night.

American Claire Donahue set a Games record 58.59 seconds to win heat three. She broke the previous mark of 59.21 established by fellow American Kathleen Hersey on July 18, 2007 in Rio de Janiero, Brasil.

Atkinson, who won four gold at the CAC last year, had the sixth best time going into last night’s final.

Donahue, also 22, is expected to lower the meet record again as she has a personal best 58.05 seconds, the 14th fastest time in the world this year.

Zara Bailey swam 5:19.46 for fourth place in the heat two of the women’s 400m individual medley, won by Brazilian Joana Maranhan in 4:54.51. Bailey will compete in the B final from lane one.

Janelle Atkinson is the only swimmer to have ever won a swimming medal at the Pan American Games, which she did in 1999.

Janelle, who is not related to Alia, won silver medals in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle events in Winnipeg, Canada.

In badminton, Gareth Henry fought for 33 minutes in the first round of his men’s singles before going down to Guatemalan Pedro Yang, who won 21-19, 22-20.

However, fellow Jamaican Charles Pyne made short 18-minute work of Venezuelan Kisbel Matute, winning 21-9, 21-9.

Pyne posted eight smash and 16 net winners and will likely meet second seed Rodrigo Pecheco Carillo of Peru in the next round this afternoon.

In contrast, compatriot Katherine Wynter was polished off in only 11 minutes by fourth seed Victoria Montero of Mexico, who won 21-7, 21-3.

Mikaylia Haldane fared much better in her 21-17, 21-7 loss to Brazilian Lohaynny Vicente, who wrapped up the encounter in 23 minutes.

Others Jamaicans competing today include Ronald Brown in men’s 10m air pistol, Kendese Nangle in women’s 100m backstroke, and Nicholos Dusard in the men’s Under 68kg taekwondo.

Sixty athletes from 10 sports are representing Jamaica at the October 14-30 Pan American Games, the largest multi-sport competition this year.