Badminton quartet gearing up for Junior Pan Am Games
A 4-member junior Guyanese badminton team will soon jet off to Asuncion, Paraguay, for what will be the country’s first outing in that sport at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games.
Slated for August 9 to 23, 2025, Guyana will be represented by Frank Waddle, Mishka Beharry, Joanathan Debidin and Leshaunte Berkley in the singles, doubles and mixed doubles categories.
Guyana’s Junior Pan Am Badminton team from left, Frank Waddell, Mishka Beharry, Leshaunte Berkley and Joanathan Debidin
Experienced senior campaigner Akili Haynes will act as the team’s coach in the U23 competition in Paraguay.
President of the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) Emilia Ramdhani recently spoke of the opportunity for the young players and other similar outings in the pipeline that will push the sport forward.
“It shows that we have the scope for growing. Before, we had two spots, one male and one female; this year we had four spots, which shows that the sport is growing. The continental federation recognises this, and they’ve qualified us for the 4.” Ramdhani expressed.
She went on to share about other similar international competitions for the country’s badminton players: “After the Asuncion, Paraguay, games, we’re going to CAREBACO. We’ll be playing in the team tournament and the individual tournament in Barbados. So, the team will travel from Paraguay to Barbados, the same 4 with the exception of Frank because he’s older than the U19s. So, Ruel Rambirche will join them in CAREBACO.”
“Before then, in July, Priyanna (Ramdhani) is taking Mishka and Ruel to the Pan Am individual championships. This is a yearly tournament that’s held by Pan Am, our continental partner, and after the tournament, they will be encamped for about a week and a half, which we’re really looking forward to because it will help build them,” the GBA President later added.
The Junior Pan American Games were first held in 2021 in Cali, Colombia.
