An eight-member Bermuda senior team is heading to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, next week to compete at the Pan American Squash Championships.

The event consists of individuals, team and doubles draws from August 21 to 27.

It will be in the team event where Bermuda will look to tighten things up, as that will serve as a qualifier for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, to be held in Dominican Republic.

“Bermuda will need to finish in the top five of the countries that are eligible to qualify,” said Micah Frank, the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association head of squash, who is also one of the players.

“If we don’t qualify, there is another chance to qualify at the Senior Caribbean Squash Championships, taking place in Kingston, Jamaica, from November 24 to 28.

“This is certainly one of the strongest teams we’ve taken to one of these events, so we should be able to secure qualification.”

Franklin is part of a strong men’s team that is boosted by the presence of Bermuda No 1 Taylor Carrick, a silver-medal winner recently at the Island Games in Orkney. Noah Browne and Anaya Smith are also top players on the island.

Carrick is warming up for the tournament by competing at the Life Time Johns Creek Clemens Open, in Johns Creek, Georgia, where he received a first-round bye. The tournament, which started on Wednesday and concludes on Sunday, is part of the Professional Squash Association Challenger Tour.

For the women, the talented trio of Sydney Wallace, Abigail Brewer and Charlotte Toogood will look to the experience of Rachel Barnes, who is back representing the island for the first time since 2019.

Bermuda last played at the CAC Games in 2018 when the action took place in Cali, Colombia, and Franklin and Browne clinched bronze in the men’s doubles.