Champions for third year in a row, Jason Ho-Shue and Nyl Yakura won Men’s Doubles gold medal at the XXII Pan Am Individual Championships 2018 held at the Teodoro Palacios Flores Arena in Guatemala.
>Brazil’s Ygor Coelho is now two-time Pan Am Champion.
>Michelle Li (CAN), champion in 2013, 2014 and at the 2015 Pan Am Games, climbed again to the top of podium, thus achieving her fourth Pan-American gold medal.
The final duel in Mixed Doubles was the one that started the last competition day. The Canadian duo Ty Alexander Lindeman / Josephine Wu defeated Nyl Yakura / Kristen Tsai (CAN) 21-14 and 26-24 after 36 minutes of game. The bronze medals were to Andres Lopez / Cynthia Gonzalez (MEX) and Jonathan Solis / Diana Corleto (GUA).
In Singles, Coelho won, for the second year in a row, gold medal after beating the 2016 champion Jason Ho-Shue (CAN) by 21-12 and 21-15. The local Kevin Cordon (champion in 2009, 2012 and Pan Am Games 2015) and Cuban Osleni Guerero (champion in 2013 and 2014) remained with the modality third place.
Seeded one, Michelle Li, continues to demonstrate her high level of play by defeating defending champion Rachel Honderich (CAN) in two tight games with markers 21-15 and 21-16. Canadian Brittney Tam (2016 champion) and Haramara Gaitan (MEX) got the bronze medals.
Jason Ho-Shue and Nyl Yakura (CAN) beat Phillip Chew and Ryan Chew (USA) by 21-17 and 21-17 after 31 minutes of game, thus achieving their third consecutive gold medal in Pan Am Championships (2016, 2017 and 2018) . The bronze medals went to the outstanding duos Job Castillo / Lino Muñoz (MEX) and Jonathan Solis / Rodolfo Ramirez (GUA).
The longest match was the Women’s Doubles final where Rachel Honderich and Kristen Tsai (CAN) beat their compatriots Michelle Tong and Josephine Wu by 17-21, 21-17 and 21-14 in 47 intense minutes of game. Ines Castillo / Paula La Torre (PER) and Jennie Gai / Jamie Hsu (USA) won the bronze medals.
The Award Ceremony was led by Vishu Tolan, BPAC president, accompanied by Zarko Cukic, BPAC Chair of Events, Lucrecia Aragon, CDAG Vice President, Harold Von Ahn, Badminton Guatemala President, Jose Del Busto, COG Representative and Donald Paiz, Badminton Guatemala Treasurer.
Badminton Pan Am Confederation gave significant recognition to the organizations that contributed to the successful tournament development: CDAG, Guatemala Olympic Committee and Guatemala Badminton Federation. Likewise, Mr. Tolan stressed the great work done by Referees Helio Alvarez and Yves Côté, umpires, line judges and volunteers.
Our champions continue to stand out and are the favorites to be the champions next year at the Pan Am Games Lima 2019.
Photo Credit: COG (see more photos here).
