Canada wins two badminton bronze, sets up all-Canadian women’s final
Feature photo: Rachel Honderich & Michelle Li will meet in all-Canadian Pan Am women’s singles final (Photo: City of Markham).
Entering Tuesday, Canada was guaranteed six badminton podiums by virtue of semifinalists all receiving medals.
While two Canadian teams did lose and receive bronze medals, four others – in singles and mixed doubles – will win silver or better by advancing to the final. One of those matches, the women’s singles, will feature an all-Canadian showdown between doubles teammates Rachel Honderich and Michelle Li in Markham, Ontario on Thursday.
Rachel Honderich (left) and Michelle Li at Pan Am Games badminton (Photo: City of Markham).
Women’s doubles
To start the day Honderich and Li lost 2-0 (21-11, 21-8) to Eva Lee and Paula Lynn Obanana of the United States. The evening semifinal saw Alex Bruce and her teammate Phyllis Chan bettered by Brazil’s Lohaynny Vicente and Luana Vicente 2-0 (22-20, 21-14). Neither Canadian women’s team advanced to the final, but each win a bronze medal.
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Mixed doubles
Toby Ng and his partner Bruce took out Brazilians Alex Yuwan Tjong and Lohaynny Vicente 2-0 (21-17, 21-16). They will play for gold on Thursday, July 16th.
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Women’s singles
In the first semifinal of the day Toronto’s Honderich decisively eliminated Iris Wang of the United States; the score ended up 2-0 (21-15, 21-11). That opened the possibility for an all-Canadian final with 23-year-old Li in the other semifinal.
Michelle Li during Pan Am Games badminton (Photo: City of Markham).
Li defeated Jamie Subandhi of the United States 2-1 (21-11, 19-21, 21-15) to set up Thursday’s gold medal match against her national teammate Honderich.
Men’s singles
Ottawa’s Andrew D’Souza had a comeback victory over Osleni Guerrero of Cuba 2-1 (13-21, 21-14, 21-13) in their semifinal. That sets up another final for Canada on Thursday, where D’Souza will face Kevin Cordon of Guatemala.
