Thursday, July 23, 2009

World Games - Longoria & Rajsich to meet in Final

Rhonda Rajsich and Paola Longoria will compete for the gold medal in the World Games racquetball competition in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. American Rajsich defeated Angela Grisar of Chile in the semi-finals, 8-15, 15-2, 11-5, while Longoria of Mexico defeated Rajsich's teammate Cheryl Gudinas Holmes, 15-6, 11-15, 11-7 in a re-match of their Pan American Championships semi-final in April that Gudinas Holmes won.

Grisar and Gudinas Holmes will playoff for the bronze medal.

If Rajsich wins, she will be the third American woman to win a World Games gold medal in racquetball, joining Cindy Baxter, who won in 1985 in London, England, and Michelle Gould, who won in 1993 in The Hague, Netherlands.

The men's semi-finals are up next with American Rocky Carson facing Mexican Alvaro Beltran in one match and American Jack Huczek against Canadian Vincent Gagnon in the other.

Americans also won the men's gold medals in racquetball at previous World Games, as Andy Roberts won in 1985 and Michael Bronfeld won in 1993.

The finals will be played later on Thursday. As Taiwan is over 10 ahead of time zones in the Americas the final results will be known around breakfast time in the Americas on Thursday.

The site of the 2013 World Games has been announced as Cali, Columbia, which we believe would make it likely that racquetball will again be included.

2009 World Games - Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Women's Semi-finals

Rhonda RAJSICH (USA) d. Angela GRISAR (Chile), 8-15, 15-2, 11-5
Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) d. Cheryl GUDINAS HOLMES (USA), 15-6, 11-15, 11-7

Women's Gold Medal Match
Rhonda RAJSICH (USA) vs. Paola LONGORIA (Mexico)

Women's Bronze Medal Match
Angela GRISAR (Chile) vs. Cheryl GUDINAS HOLMES (USA)

Men's Semi-finals
Rocky CARSON (USA) vs. Alvaro BELTRAN (Mexico)
Jack HUCZEK (USA) vs. Vincent GAGNON (Canada)

Follow the bouncing ball....

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