USA got the better of Brazil in two doubles finals yesterday at the Pan Am Games 2015 in Toronto.
After Eva Lee/ Paula Lynn Obanana claimed the Women’s Doubles gold medal, their compatriots Phillip Chew/Sattawat Pongnairat (featured image) followed them atop the podium (below) by winning the Men’s Doubles gold.
Lee and Obanana were tested in the opening game by Vicente sisters Lohaynny and Luana. The Vicentes matched them point for point and were ahead at 13-12, but the US duo, helped by Lee’s astute serving, ran up a sequence of five points and put the game beyond Brazil’s reach.
Lee and Obanana continued with the same momentum in the second game and dominated from start to finish, ensuring a 21-14 21-6 result.
Chew and Pongnairat had a tougher challenge on their hands with Daniel Paiola/Hugo Arthuso making a match of it. The Brazilians had their chances in both games, at 14-16 and 17-19 in the first and 15-all in the second, but Chew and Pongnairat were stable at crucial moments and emerged victors at 21-18 21-16.
USA have a chance for a third gold when Chew returns for the Mixed Doubles final today with Jamie Subandhi, against Canada’s Toby Ng/Alex Bruce.
Text by Dev Sukumar | Badmintonphoto
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