Start of Play at 2022 Pan Am Para-Badminton Championships

By Mike Krajewski

Day one of the 2022 Pan Am Para-Badminton Championships is in the books with two wins out of six matches. Four members of the USA Para-Badminton team are participating in the five-day tournament in Cali, Columbia. Representing the USA are:

• Amy Burnett (WH1 WS, WH1-WH2 WD, and WH1-WH2 XD)
• Richard Alcaraz (SL4 MS and SL3-SL4 MD)
• Jayci Simon (SH6 WS, SH6 XD)
• Miles Krajewski (SH6 WS, SH6 MD, SH6 XD)

Amy Burnett was the busiest athlete on Day 1, with four matches spread between her three events. Partnered with Mexico’s Arturo Zambrano Alejo in mixed doubles, the pair went 1-1 in their first two group matches. They were defeated by Peru’s Pilar Jauregui and Brazil’s Rodolfo Cano, 6-21 and 4-21, in the first match. They defeated Chile’s Daniela Zapata and Mexico’s Alfonso Quevedo, 21-15 and 21-17 in the second match. The pair will play their final mixed doubles group match on Wednesday, needing a win to advance out of group play and into the semifinals.

In women’s singles, Burnett was defeated by Brazil’s No. 2 seed Daniele Torres Souza, 8-21 and 2-21. Her next group match is on Wednesday, where a win will earn her a spot in the semifinals. In women’s doubles, Burnett and Chile’s Daniela Zapata were defeated by Peru’s Jaqueline Karina Burgos Javier and Pilar Jauregui, 5-21 and 7-21.

In men’s singles, Richard Alcaraz began the day with an exciting come-from-behind victory against Columbia’s Jorge Enrique Moreno (17-21, 21-18, 21-18). Alcaraz had another three-game set later in the day against Dominican Republic’s Victor Manuel Ramirez De La Cruz, narrowly being defeated (15-21, 21-16, 18-21).

“I would really like to thank my conditioning coach, Anthony Phillips,” Alcaraz said following the match. “Because of my conditioning work with him, I was able to push into the third game in each of those matches without dropping off and be in a position to win. While I came up a little short in the last match, I am proud of the way I was able to compete consistently at this level.”

Alcaraz begins men’s doubles play with Peru’s Albert Manuel Puente Perez on Wednesday. He also has another match in men’s singles against Peru’s Renzo Diquez Bances Morales.

Miles Krajewski and Jayci Simon both begin play on Wednesday, which will see Team USA with a busy slate of matches, including four matches for Krajewski, three for Simon, and two each for Alcaraz and Burnett.

To see results from the tournament, click here.

Livestreaming is available on the Badminton Pan Am YouTube channel.