GUYANA’S badminton team competing in the XXV Yonex Pan Am Individual Championships in San Salvador, El Salvador started their singles and doubles events yesterday.
The four-member team, including the Ramdhani siblings, Priyanna and Narayan, and seasoned male players Akili Haynes and Tyrese Jeffrey had a mixed start in the singles.

Both Haynes and Narayan have advanced passed the first round, owing to a walkover and a bye respectively, while Jeffrey and Priyanna went down in their openers.
Jeffrey won his opening game 21-19 against the home team’s Carlos Rodriguez, but lost his bearings after which resulted in his suffering back-to-back losses (21-6, 21-6).

Priyanna had a tough battle against Guatemala’s Karolina Orellana Ardon and although she looked solid midway the second, mounting a comeback, she still lost 21-13, 21-17.

The Ramdhani siblings were also expected to start their mixed doubles campaign yesterday against the Barbados pair of Gavin Robinson and Monyata Riviera, while Haynes and Jeffrey were expected to be in action against Canadians Kevin Lee and Ty Alexander Linderman in the men’s doubles.

The players will be able to benefit from world ranking points, since the April 26-29 tournament is a BWF Grade 2 Level 6 event.

On Monday, the Guyana Badminton Association thanked the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports Commission for “affording our players the opportunity to compete in this very important tournament”.