(From left) Jamaica's Xavier Brown, Saint Kitts' Kim Collins, Dutch Antilles' Churandy Martina and Cuba's Jennis Vizcanino compete during a men's 100 metres heat at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro yesterday.

Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor

rio de janeiro, brazil

Boxer Nicholas Walters' bid to join Ricardo Smith as a medal winner at the XV Pan American Games in Rio de Janiero ended after a comprehensive defeat yesterday.

Walters, Jamaica's best amateur boxer, was outclassed by Cuba's Idel Torriente in the quarter-finals of the featherweight division.

The Cuban led 8-0 after the first of four rounds, 13-0 at half way and 15-0 after three. Walters got his only point in the fourth round as Torriente won 18-1.

Today, welterweight Ricardo Smith will attempt to improve on the bronze medal he earned in a walk-over on Sunday when he faces the dangerous Pedro Lima of Brazil.

Turnover downfall

The women's basketball team finished sixth in the eight-team tournament yesterday after they were beaten 73-61 by Argentina. Turnovers proved again to be the downfall of the women as again they were the leaders in rebounds. They had 24 turnovers to 13 for the winners, but outrebounded Argentina 50-29.

Vanessa Gidden, who had a very good tournament, scored a game-high 29 points. Marcela Paoletta led the way for the winners with 23 points.

Centre and leading player Simone Edwards said the Jamaican team needed to become fitter.

"We need to improve our fitness. The Games have, however, been good for us to gather experience, especially for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Chile in September."

National record holder Maurice Smith appears poised to win Jamaica's first gold medal at the Games after day one of the decathlon.

At half way, the 2006 Commonwealth Games silver medallist was ahead by nine points over Brazil's Carlos Chinin. He led with 4,370 and was followed by Chinin on 4,361. Cuba's Yordan Garcia is next on 4,192.

Clear signal

Smith ... I just have to stay focused and hopefully injury-free - file

Smith sent a clear signal to his 11 rivals late in the day when he finished strongly with the leading time, 47.99 seconds, in the 400m. Earlier he had done 10.84 for second overall in the 100m, 7.27m for third in long jump, a 16.93m first in shot put and a 1.97m eighth in high jump.

"I have got two really strong events coming up tomorrow, the hurdles and discus. Hopefully I could just go all out in those two events. I think I will be able to pull off a win. I just have to stay focused and hopefully injury-free," Smith said last night.

Four other Jamaicans reached finals after yesterday's first day on the track at the Joao Havelange Stadium.

Tracy-Ann Rowe will run in this evening's women's 100m final after placing fourth in semi-final two in 11.44 seconds behind winner, Chandra Sturrup of Bahamas who clocked a season-best 11.18 to pip American Mechelle Lewis. Lewis was awarded the same time.

Peta-Gaye Dowdie missed out despite running a faster time than Rowe. She was fifth in semi-final one in 11.43 as American Mikele Barber won in 11.18.

Jamaica's pair of Nickiesha Wilson and Shevon Stoddart are both in tomorrow's women's 400m hurdles final.

Wilson crossed the line in 56.44 seconds in semi-final one behind American Nicole Leach, who won in 55.77. Stoddart, 56.40, was second to another American, Sheena Johnson (55.55), in the second semi-final.

In the women's 800 metres semi-finals, 26-year-old Ysanne Williams, who has previously represented the United States at the Junior Pan American level, advanced to today's final after placing fourth in the second of two semi-finals. Williams clocked 2:02.49 in the heat won in a personal best 2:01.28 by Brazil's Josiane Tito. The other semi-final went to Canada's Diane Cummings in 2:02.80.

Steele eliminated

Leford Green advanced to the semi-finals of the men's 400m but Edwino Steele was eliminated. Green placed third in 45.89 in the fourth of four heats. The heat went to 2001 world champion Avard Moncur of Bahamas in 45.27.

Steele looked a very tired man after the second heat. He had reason to be. The Jamaican 400m runner had only arrived in the Games Village sometime past midnight yesterday. He placed fourth in heat two in 47.12, well outside his season and personal best of 45.77.

In the women's hammer final, Jamaica's Nicky Grant was 15th of the 16 throwers. She threw 53.91m in her first attempt and had failures in her next two throws. Cuba's Yipsi Moreno won with a Games record 75.20m, beating the 74.25m she set in 2003.