Canadians dominate Pan Am Champs
Jamaica get thumbs up after hosting first major international tournament in 30 years
Published:Sunday | April 30, 2023 | 1:49 AMDaniel Wheeler - Staff Reporter
HAVING GOTTEN positive feedback from regional officials regarding the staging of the 26th Yonex Pan American Individual Championships, Jamaica Badminton Association general secretary V.J. Tolan is hoping that yesterday’s staging will be the catalyst for Jamaica to be entrusted with more major regional events.
The four-day tournament finished yesterday at G.C. Foster College, with Canada completing a sweep of the men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed-doubles titles.
For Tolan, being able to meet the guidelines of the world federation regarding hosting the tournament was the main objective, as it was the first time that Jamaica was hosting the tournament since 1991. Tolan does not want Jamaica to wait another 32 years to host another international tournament.
“Based on feedback we have received from tournament officials and the regional officials, they are pleased with how we have performed as hosts. From our standpoint, everything was not perfect, but I think the organisation of the event overall went pretty well. And we were able to meet the stand that was required of us,” Tolan told The Sunday Gleaner.
“So we are hoping that, moving forward as we continue to bid for events, we will be strongly considered. We want it to be said that, when they come to Jamaica and they run continental championships such as this, there are no issues.”
To meet those requirements, Tolan said that they had to ensure from the accommodations to the tournament venue were brought up to acceptable levels. Tolan said that the adjustments that G.C. Foster College made to the venue to have all the relevant spaces necessary for the athletes made a difference.
“We worked with G.C. Foster and they have been fantastic in terms of just upgrading the venue. The bathrooms were updated, and the physical aesthetics were upgraded. The checklist was 150 things. So it was spanning from technical to ensuring that you had volunteers to run the lines, ensuring you had the local officials here,” Tolan said.
GOOD REVIEWS
“We have gotten good reviews, not just from officials but as well as from athletes. There are other elements that we could not attack as we wanted to. But, overall, from an event perspective, we are pleased.”
For newly crowned Pan American women’s singles champion Michelle Li, competing in Jamaica has been a welcome change, given the schedule that she has had in recent years.
“All the tournaments that I go to now are always in the same place every year, like the China Open and Denmark Open. When I play the Pan Ams, it’s always in South America where usually there are no tournaments there. So it is a good change-up and it is good to promote the sport and these places. Happy to come, and everybody is nice too,” Li said.
While Tolan’s target is to be entrusted with more major events, he is keen on being strategic, ensuring that there is lasting benefit for Jamaica.
“That is the next target, but it has to be deliberate. It takes a lot of effort and energy and so, when we do it, we want to ensure that there is an objective than just saying we hosted a tournament. As we proceed, maybe in the future, whether it is two or three years from now, we have to tie it back to our objective,” Tolan said.
“What I would love one day is to host a world event. But we will take it step by step and I think, for us, we are on that pathway to getting them.”