NATIONAL champions Gareth Henry and Katherine Wynter will be the two top Jamaican players who will participate in the second staging of the 2016 Jamaica International Badminton Tournament to be held from March 17-20 at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

The four-day tournament is scheduled to begin next Thursday and will have 21 countries competing in men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles, it was announced at a launch at the Jamaica Olympic Association offices on Thursday.

Men’s singles defending champion Martin Giuffre of Canada, along with the women’s singles runner-up from the Cezch Republic will be returning to participate.

Speaking at the launch, Henry said this is the first time he would be playing in this international tournament as he did not compete last year at its inaugural staging.

“I am also very happy to be taking part as I have never played in an International Badminton Tournament on home soil. This is also very good for the development of the sports in Jamaica and the spectators in general who would like to watch some of the top players in the world in action,” Henry said.

Henry’s last international tournament was last December when he competed in the United States Badminton Open Championships.

The Jamaican number one and top player said he won’t be at the Olympics in Brazil as he has not played in enough qualifying tournaments.

“I have only played in 10 tournaments, and you should at least play in 18 tournaments to have a chance of qualifying for the Olympics,” he said.

President of the Jamaica Badminton Association David Thomas revealed that the other participating nations are Austria, Italy, Mexico, Slovakia, Belgium, India, Barbados, Nigeria, Canada, Cuba, Chinese Taipei, Greece, Czech Republic, Peru, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Lithuania, Australia, Finland.

Thomas said approximately 22 players from hosts Jamaica will be participating in the tournament that, so far, has two in the men’s singles, 22 in the women’s singles, 10 in men’s doubles and eight in women’s doubles.

— Gerald Reid