An estimated 50 international players including defending men’s singles champion Kevin Gordon from Guatemala are set to compete the 2020 Jamaica International Open Badminton Championships from March 5-8 at the National Indoor Sports Complex in Kingston, Jamaica.

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.