Players from more than 20 countries are expected to be competing for US$10,000 in prize money over five categories.
JABA President Nicole Case revealed this week that the threat of the virus that has infected more than 90,000 people globally, killing more than 3000.
At Tuesday’s launch, Nicole Fahmi, an official at the Ministry of Health was invited to provide updates on the virus and offer advice to players and officials on how to protect themselves from contracting the virus. She was actively engaged.
COVID-19 is primarily spread through respiratory droplets, which means to become infected; people generally must be within six feet of someone who is contagious and come into contact with these droplets.
It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching his or her own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
Symptoms of COVID-19 appear within two to 14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, runny nose and difficulty breathing.
The precautions taken by the JABA has already prevented one player from arriving in Jamaica.
An Italian player who was supposed to be at the tournament was informed that should he arrive in Jamaica he would have been quarantined for 14 days and hence would not be able to compete. He has since decided to forego his trip to the Caribbean.
Italy's government announced Wednesday that all schools and universities in the country will be closed from March 5 to March 15, as the country now has more than 2,500 cases and 79 deaths linked to the coronavirus.
For those who have already arrived, the JABA will be enforcing a no-handshake rule.
“One of the measures that we will be implementing at the tournament is to avoid handshaking,” said Case.
“One of the normal protocols at the end of a match is that players would shake hands and they would also shake the hands of the umpire. We have agreed with the referee that will be foregone and use other non-contact methods of acknowledging the players.”
She said they would also ensure that they have enough hand sanitization solutions available for the players and officials.
“There is still contact with the shuttlecock so we want to keep the hands clean,” she said.
About 74 players including Jamaica’s top local players like Samuel Ricketts, Dennis Coke, Kathryn Wynter and Tahlia Richardson, will compete over five categories – men and women singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles - for a share of the US$10,000 in prize money.
Brazil’s Fabiana Silva is the top seed in a women’s field that is also likely to see Jordan Hart of the United Kingdom return to defend her singles crown.
The tournament was launched on Tuesday morning at the Jamaica Olympic Association headquarters in Kingston.
The Level 4 International Series tournament on the Badminton World Series (BWF) calendar has been growing in stature and according to tournament referee Alejandro Lopez, it is quickly becoming one of the most important tournaments in the region.
“For Pan Am, I think it is one of the principal events. We have more than 25 countries participating. Many of these countries only participate in Jamaica, not even the other ones in Peru or Guatemala,” he said.
“I have not seen this participation in other countries except the USA but for the Caribbean, this one is the best, for me.”
The tournament growth has attracted new sponsors for 2020 with Marathon Insurance Brokers and Proven joining Yonex, the Jamaica Olympic Association, BWF, Nestle, The Jamaica Pegasus, and Sun Island.
From the time they won the doubles title at the 2013 Santa Domingo Open, the two evolved into a powerful and respected duo while representing Jamaica. They would go on to win the men’s doubles at the 2018 CAC Games and the 2017 and 2019 Carebaco International.
They also won silver medals at the 2017 Suriname International and the 2018 and 2019 Jamaica International. A lot more seemed in store for the pair but it ended recently with Henry’s sudden retirement and his subsequent migration to the United States.
Now without his usual partner, Ricketts will wet his feet in men's singles at the 2020 Jamaica International Badminton Tournament from March 4-8, when he takes on Barbados’ Shae Michael Martin.
After a few months of preparation, Ricketts said he is ready for the challenge.
“When Gareth announced his retirement, I started to train full time in England; so I have been training full time since October and have been working in implementing new tactics and new mentalities,” he told Sportsmax.TV at Tuesday’s launch of the tournament at the headquarters of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) in Kingston.
“I have definitely gotten fitter but also the mentality of a single player, you are out there on your own and it’s kind of tough because when I was out there with Gareth, you kind of have that partnership but on the single court it’s just you.
“I have grown in some sense but I still have some ways to go.”
In spite of the work in progress, Ricketts has set himself some goals for the tournament that he believes are well within his capabilities.
“In this tournament, I am hoping to get to the quarter-finals but definitely winning doubles,” said Ricketts, who has a new doubles partner in Shane Wilson.
“My intention is to play with conviction and confidence and one of the things I have been working on it not worrying about expectations that people have of me or even what I think people think, but just going and knowing this is how we train. Your coach believes in you, you believe in yourself and you believe in God so God has given you everything that you need to give your best.
“For me, it’s just enjoying badminton and knowing all the work you’ve put in its here. You’re going there to accomplish something so that’s part of my goal.”
As it relates to his ambitions of winning the men’s doubles, Ricketts believes that in Wilson, he has a new partner who is not only capable but someone who he already has a relationship with; a familiarity that can produce the desired results.
“Shane and I are brothers before, so Shane and I trained together in Mandeville under Howard Ranger and so we used to train for like seven to eight years,” he explained. “We actually moved up to England together and we were at the same university/college setting and so he and I have known each other for a long time.
“He knows my history, my background, who I really am. We will be just fine on the court.”
The 2019 NABUCO Women’s champion will face Cheyanna Burnett-Griffith of Barbados in the opening round of the competition on Thursday but is not thinking much beyond that match. Notwithstanding, she wants to go all the way, if she can.
“First of all, I want to make it past the first round. After winning that, I want to set small goals and achieve those small goals until I get to the big goal which is winning the tournament,” she said following the launch of the tournament in Kingston on Tuesday and in which she will play singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
“I definitely want to reach at least one semi-final, so that’s the goal.”
Just 18, Richardson has risen rapidly up the Jamaican rankings over the past two years to the point where she ranks among the very best in the island alongside her local rival Katherine Wynter. She credits the work she has put that has made her stronger – mentally and physically.
“My mental game has improved and I am very grateful for that because I now look at things from a different perspective. I am also physically stronger so I am able to do various things that I could not do before,” she said while crediting her rivalry with Winter for having contributed to her rapid growth.
“The rivalry pushes both of us to train harder and always try to be at the top because we know that there is someone that can beat me and that pushes each of us to go harder in training,” she said, which for her means more on-court time, more physical, more mental building.
“Just going out and giving it my all, even more. If I give 10 per cent today, I make sure I give 50 tomorrow and so it goes on.”
