PARC - 2013 Pan American Championships - Elimination round draws

The elimination draws are out for the 2013 Pan American Championships in Cali, Colombia, and the elimination round will begin on Wednesday. The men's draw will likely have players from two different countries, as the top American and top Mexican players are on the same sides of the draw.

Mexico's situation is worse, as Javier Moreno and Polo Gutierrez will likely meet in the Round of 16, although Gutierrez needs to defeat Colombian Sebastian Franco to get there; Moreno has a bye in the first round, as he's in the 3rd seed slot.

Marco Rojas - current U18 Junior World Champion - has the 1st seed slot, but Jansen Allen is also on the top side of the draw, so they could meet in the semi-finals. Thus, only one will have a shot at gold.

Carlos Keller of Bolivia - former U18 Junior World Champion - is the 2nd seed and countryman Felipe Mercado is the 4th seed, so while there can't be an all-American or all-Mexican final, an all-Bolivian final is possible.

On the women's side, there's a possibility of two Mexico-USA semi-finals, as the four seeds are Paola Longoria (Mexico) at #1, Rhonda Rajsich (USA) #2, Samantha Salas (Mexico) #3, and Sharon Jackson (USA) #4.

The Mexican teams of Moreno and Gutierrez on the men's side, and Longoria and Salas on the women's side are the clear favourites in the doubles competitions, although in both cases they could face the American teams - Allen and Rojas (men's) and Rajsich and Jackson (women's) - in the final.

No Ecuador team

We mentioned how there's no Canadians in Cali, but overlooked was the fact that there's no team from Ecuador either. Last year, Fernando Rios of Ecuador was the silver medalist. No word on why they aren't there this year.

However, on the positive side Angela Grisar, who'd had a leg injury, is back playing for Chile and Disney Linares Barreras is representing Cuba. It's the first time in a few years that Cuba has had players at the Pan American Championships.

The International Racquetball Federation (IRF) is streaming matches live from Cali via its website.

2013 Pan American Championships
Cali, Colombia

Men's Singles

Marco Rojas (USA) BYE
Jayson Jordan (Puerto Rico) v. Junior Rodriguez (Dominican Rep.)

Cesar Castillo (Venezuela) v. Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
Francisco Gomez (Colombia) BYE

Luis Perez (Dominican Rep.) BYE
Shai Manzuri (Argentina) v. Pedro Manolo Sandoval (Guatemala)

Jansen Allen (USA) v. Edwin Galicia (Guatemala)
Felipe Mercado (Bolivia) BYE

Javier Moreno (Mexico) BYE
Polo Gutierrez (Mexico) v. Sebastian Franco (Colombia)

Raul Banegas (Honduras) v. Bernardo Zamora (Nicaragua)
Felipe Camacho Martin (Costa Rica) BYE

Joaquin Solera (Costa Rica) BYE
Santiago Canedo (Chile) v. Daniel Maggi (Argentina)

Juan Martinez III (Puerto Rico) v. Roberto Santander (Venezuela)
Carlo Keller (Bolivia) v. BYE

Men's Doubles

Javier Moreno & Polo Gutierrez (Mexico) BYE
Kadim Carrasco & Ricardo Monroy (Bolivia) v. Juan Martinez III & Jayson Jordan (Puerto Rico)

Cesar Castillo & Cesar Castillo (Venezuela) BYE
Sebastian Franco & Juan Herrera (Colombia) BYE

Daniel Maggi & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) BYE
Luis Perez & Junior Rodriguez (Dominican Republic) v. Felipe Camacho Martin & Joaquin Solera (Costa Rica)

Edwin Galicia & Pedro Manolo Sandoval (Guatemala) v. Santiago Canedo & Francisco Troncoso (Chile)
Jansen Allen & Marco Rojas (USA) BYE

Women's Singles

Paola Longoria (Mexico) BYE
Cecilia Cerqutti (Argentina) v. Ana Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)

Carolina Gomez (Col) v. Dafne Macrino (Argentina)
Maria Cespedes (Dominican Rep.) BYE

Angela Grisar (Chile) BYE
Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. Diana Maura (Panama)

Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala) v. Melania Sauma Masis (Costa Rica)
Sharon Jackson (USA) BYE

Samantha Salas (Mexico) BYE
Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) v. Sofia Soley Saborio (Costa Rica)

Jenny Daza (Bolivia) v. Martha Cañellas (Puerto Rico)
Cristina Amaya (Col) BYE

Adriana Riveros (Bolivia) BYE
Claudine Garcia (Dom) v. Letty Maldonado (Puerto Rico)

Paola Guerra (Venezuela) v. Disney Linares Barreras (Cuba)
Rhonda Rajsich (USA) BYE

Women's Doubles

Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) BYE
Melania Sauma Masis & Sofia Soley Saborio (Costa Rica) v. Natalia Corti & Cecilia Cerquetti (Argentina)

Angela Grisar & Carla Muñoz (Chile) BYE
Maria Cespedes & Claudine Garcia (Dominican Rep.) BYE

Cristina Amaya & Carolina Gomez (Colombia) BYE
Sharon Jackson & Rhonda Rajsich (USA) v. Ana Gabriela Martinez & Maria Rene Rodriguez (Guatemala)

Paola Guerra & Mariana Tobon (Venezuela) v. Johan Collazo & Raquel Perez (Puerto Rico)
Jenny Daza & Adriana Riveros (Bolivia) BYE

Follow the bouncing ball....