PANAM CHAMPIONSHIPS: CANADA OVERCOMES AMERICAN EFFORT

** This NEW SHUTTLENWS REPORT is presented with the compliments of the Manitoba Badminton Association and the Treffpunkt Winnipeg Canoe Club **

September 18, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - Team Canada overcame a valiant effort by the U.S.A. and captured the Pan-American badminton team championships gold medal yesterday at the Treffpunkt Winnipeg Canoe Club in the Canadian city of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The vastly experienced Canadian, Denyse Julien, opened up for Canada in the women's singles match. Julien easily defeated Kathy Zimmerman 11-2 and 11-3 to put Canada ahead, 1 match to none.

In the men's doubles match that followed, Iain Sydie and Brent Olynyk, the Canadian champions, struggled against Mike Edstrom and Chris Hales. With Edstrom able to match Sydie's boomers from the rearcourt, the two pairs split games one and two, with the Canucks winning the first 15-8 and the Yankees taking the second also 15-8.

In the decider, the international experience of Sydie and Olynyk as well as the coaching of former All-England doubles champion Billy Gilliland came to fore and the Canadians won 15-7.

Canada was now ahead 2 matches to none.

With defeat staring them in the face, the American pair of Eileen Tang and Shannon Hsu gave it their all in the women's doubles encounter. Tang and Hsu had the better of Canada's Robbyn Hermitage and Jennifer Wong for a greater part of the match. The American women won the first 15-10 and had Hermitage and Wong in trouble in the second. The two pairs battled to a 13-all tie as the Americans played hard to stave off defeat.

The Canadians managed to reach game point in the tiebreak 4-2 (17-15). The Americans were battling to keep Hermitage and Wong from equalizing the match when Hsu injured her knee in mid-rally, allowing the Canadians to score the game winner 5-2 (18-15).

Hsu had suffered two torn ligaments during the Americans' heroic stand in the second game and the severe knee injury prevented her from taking the court for the decider. The Americans had to concede defeat in the women's doubles match and in the team championships.

America's men's singles champion Kevin Han defeated Mike Beres in the fourth match 15-11 and 15-6, while Canadians Iain Sydie and Denyse Julien overcame the scorching firepower of Mike Edstrom and the netplay of Eileen Tang to win the concluding mixed doubles encounter 15-12 and 15-8.

The final tally - Canada 4, USA 1.

In the battle for third place, Peru defeated Mexico 4 matches to 1.

Bernardo Monreal and Laura Amaya beat Jose Antonio Iturriaga and Ximena Bellido 17-18, 15-8 and 15-11 in the mixed doubles opener to put Mexico ahead 1-0.

Lorena Blanco of Peru made it 1-all when she trounced Mexico's Veronica Estrada 11-0 and 11-5 in women's singles. Mario Carulla Schultz put the Peruvians ahead 2-1 with his 17-15 and 15-10 men's singles victory over Luis Lopezllera.

Blanco and Bellido then combined to clinch third place for Peru. The Peruvian pair blasted Veronica Estrada and Laura Amaya 15-5 and 15-0 in the women's doubles match.

The last match, the men's doubles, was hard-fought even though Peru had already taken the bronze medal. Carulla Schultz and Iturriaga defeated the battling Mexicans Arturo Amaya and Jesus Lopez 15-9, 11-15 and 15-8.

(manitobaba/aplayer/migrossman)