By Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor

rio de janeiro, brazil:

Jamaica's women's basketball team, the first from the English-speaking Caribbean to qualify for the Pan American Games, will bow into action tonight against hosts, Brazil, at 10 p.m. here (8 p.m. Jamaica time).

The hosts are among the gold medal favourites in the event, but Jamaica, with a number of foreign-based players should still do very well. Jamaica's squad includes Erica Messam who was born to Jamaican parents in the United States, Simone Edwards who has played professionally in several countries and Demoya Williams who is originally from St. Elizabeth, but now plays professionally in the Czech Republic.

In the run up to the Games, assistant manager Cloyfeld Thomas said she expected the team to do fairly well.

"The Americans should be our main rivals but Cuba, Mexico and hosts Brazil all have very good teams," Thomas said.

Brazil's women have been outstanding at past Games, winning three gold, three silver and three bronze medals. Their top player is likely to be 29-year-old point guard Adriana Pinto, who plays for Phoenix Mercury in the American Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) league.

Welterweight Ricardo Smith will also see action this evening on the first day of boxing at the Games.

Manager Leroy Brown had cautioned prior to the Games that the draw will be important for both Smith and Nicholas Walters who is also at the Games.

"Like in tennis, you may meet the top seed in the first round," Brown said.

The draw for boxing takes place today.

Smith has just moved up to the welterweight ranks and this will be one of the toughest at the Games.

In yesterday's action at the Games, swimmer Alia Atkinson was out of luck in the women's 100 metres breaststroke final yesterday. Drawn in lane one, Atkinson, whose best time for the event is 1:10.95, finished eighth in 1:14.34.

The gold medal went to American Michelle McKeehan in 1:08.49.

Two other swimmers were also in action. Natasha Moodie placed eighth in semi-final two of the women's 200m freestyle. Her time, 2:12.68 placed her 15th overall.

Late yesterday evening, Brad Hamilton clocked 2:08.25 for seventh in his heat of the men's 200m butterfly and did not advance to the semi-finals. He was 17th overall.

Moodie will be in action this evening in the 100m freestyle while Atkinson competes in the 200m backstroke.

At the Rio de Janeiro Velodrome, Ricardo Lynch did not make the final six in the men's keirin.

With three to advance from a five-rider heat two, Lynch finished close up but failed to advance.

"We just did not have a good day today," cycling manager Vaughn Phang said after the event.

"Tactically he moved a little too early and he has to learn from this on the road to the Olympics," Phang said.