Jamaica’s plans for Pan Am Badminton Championships in high gear
Published:Thursday | April 20, 2023 | 1:12 AMOrane Buchanan/Staff Reporter
A TOTAL of 135 players from 19 countries will descend on the grounds of the G.C. Foster College in St Catherine for the 26th staging of the Yonex Pan American Badminton Championships set to run from April 26-29.
Speaking at the launch of the championships at The Pegasus hotel yesterday evening, president of the Jamaica Badminton Association (JBA), Sheldon Townsend, said despite additional preparations needed prior to the championships, Jamaica is in a good position to host numerous countries in anticipation of a tough championships.
“The readiness for the championships is still ongoing, with a lot of work needed to be done, but I’m quite confident that we’ll get there. However, a lot of work has been put in place from day one when we decided to bid for this tournament, and to see it now become a reality is truly phenomenal. We’re expecting some really top players, great competition, and great camaraderie from the Pan American region,” said Townsend.
GOOD FOR COUNTRY
Alando Terelonge, state minister in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, believes that hosting the championships on local soil augurs well for the sport of badminton and will only propel the country’s stature as one of the world leaders in sport.
“It’s very significant. We’re speaking about a regional championships that is expected to bring a lot of exposure to sports in Jamaica, specifically. We’re expecting 19 countries to be present with almost 200 players. It’s also a big boost for Jamaica’s sporting industry. It says to the world that Jamaica is open to the business of sport, and we’re open for sports tourism as well.
“It’s also significant because we are giving exposure to our new generation of young athlete, telling them that it’s not just about track and field, netball, or football, but we want our young kings and queens to understand that there might be other sporting disciplines that they might be entitled to [participating in],” said the state minister.
President of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) Christopher Samuda believes that hosting such a high-calibre tournament shows the country’s ability to stack up with other countries.
“I’m absolutely pleased because from the very inception of the administration, we’ve always indicated to our member association that our policy is to transform Jamaica into a hub for regional and international competition. So this, in fact, is part of the objective of the Jamaica Olympic Association – to bring tournaments, both regional and international, to our shores. This is also to give our athletes a chance of playing against the world’s best so that they can increase their abilities and hone their skills. So we are very pleased that this regional tournament is being hosted by the Jamaica Badminton Association and places Jamaica on the map as a country that is able to deliver sporting events on such a large scale.”