JAMAICA'S BADMINTON players were in sparkling form on the final day of the 19th Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in El Salvador yesterday, taking home three gold, two silver and a bronze to increase the country's medal tally to 24.Jamaica ended the 31-team Games in eighth position behind Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Guatemala and hosts El Salvador. The top 10 was rounded out by Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica.
Nigella Saunders, who teamed up with Charles Pyne to win gold in the mixed doubles final by beating the Guyanese pair of Pedro Yang and Annelisse Micheo 11-8, 11-13, 13-10 late on Friday night and returned yesterday to win two more gold.
Saunders, a triple champion at this year's Cable & Wireless All Jamaican Senior Badminton championships, defeated Mexican Veronica Estrada to take the women's singles. She then combined with Terry Walker to win the women's doubles, beating Barbados' pair of Dionne Forde and Mariama Eastmond.
In the men's section, Pyne had to settle for silver in the singles as he was beaten by Guyana's Yang in the final. Again, Jamaica had to settle for silver behind Guyana when Bradley Graham and Albert Myles lost in the men's doubles final to Yang and Erick Anguiano.
The mixed doubles team of Walker and Graham, despite not making it to the final, defeated Trinidad and Tobago's pair of Anil Seepaul and Zeudi Mack for bronze.
In yesterday's football final, El Salvador defeated Mexico 4-3 on penalties after they played to a 1-1 regulation and extra time draw.
Rafael Marquez opened the scoring for Mexico in the 14th minute but his effort was cancelled out by Josue Naun Galdamez Dominguez in the 47th minute.
Alfredo Alberto Pacheco, G.A. Murgas Fajardo, C.A. Menjivar Aguilar and Selvin Hernan Gonzalez Moran struck their penalties for the winners, while Oscar Adrian Rojas Castillon, Hector Uzziel Lozano Melchor and Diego Martinez Balderas netted for Mexico. Meanwhile, Costa Rica defeated Haiti 4-1 to take third place.
