Samuel Ricketts leads Jamaica's charge amid eliminations

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

A number of Jamaicans were eliminated on yesterday's opening day of singles action at the Ocean Spray XX Pan Am Junior Badminton championships being staged at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

The host nation got off to a winning start, however, as top local junior Samuel Ricketts got the better of his Puerto Rican counterpart, Ivan Moralez, (2-0) 21-18, 21-14, in their Under-17 men's singles encounter. Ricketts returned later in the afternoon to notch his second victory of the day, as he stopped Trinidad and Tobago's Jason Ramjass (2-0) 21-10, 21-15.

The Belair High School student will now move on to the third round, where he will play compatriot Jonathon Smith.

"I plan to beat him (Smith) and then I have my old rival in the quarters, and it is a medal after that," Ricketts said. "I feel good, because last year I got knocked out in the third round and this year I plan to get a medal; anything, bronze or silver, but I want to go for the gold," he added.

Smith's victory came over Dominica's Hector Perez (2-0) 21-17, 21-19.

Jamaica suffered major disappointed in the women's Under-19 category, as the much-fancied Mikaylia Haldane lost in straight sets to Guatemala's Nikte Sotomayor, 21-14, 21-14.

Secured victory

Jamaica had five entrants in the boy's Under-15 section, but only Sean Wilson secured victory with an easy 21-0, 21-7 win over Guyana's Jamel Ramsook. The other four representatives; Shaquille Palmer (0-2), Erin Bailey (0-2), Dre Neil Lyle (1-2) and Shevon Salmon (0-2) were eliminated by Cleyson Nobre Dos Santos, Rafael Davila, Edinvert Sanchez and Gabriel Salgado, respectively.

Local girl Christina Hastings got the better of Guyana's Varsha Boodram (2-1)21-12, 20-22, 21-8 in the Under-15 section. Jamaica's five other female representatives in that age group were not as fortunate, however, as Shanique Shepherd (0-2), Christina Petri (0-2), Iesha Gordon (0-2), Esther Reynolds (1-2) and Ayssa Mullings (0-2), were sent packing by María Delia Zambrano, Danielle King, Daniela Macias, Yazmin Ramos and Alena Wang, respectively.

Jamaica had 11 competitors in the Under-13 section, but only Tiana Daley progressed to the next round. She defeated Mexico's Michelle Alderete (2-0) 21-16, 22-20.

The Under-17 competitors did not fare much better as, out of the 10 entrants, only Ricketts and Jamari Rose managed wins.

Rose got the better of Puerto Rico's Yeigiro Kuroki (2-0) 21-18, 21-19. The losers were Kamaro Morgan (0-2), Eleanor Reynolds (0-2), Diamond Cassanova (0-2), Katherine Wynter (0-2), D'Anna-Marie Edwards (0-2), Chantal McLaren (0-2) and Jade Clarke (0-2).

Up to press time, the only Jamaicans to advance in the Under-19 section were top junior player and the No. 2 seed Anthony McNee, who cruised into the next round with a 21-16, 21-11 win over Guyana's Nicholas Ali. Gerald Isaacs was even more impressive, as he defeated Puerto Rico's Heriberto Torres 21-15, 21-9.

Today's action commences at 9 a.m. with the Under-17 mixed doubles, which will feature three Jamaican teams.