2016 Pan American Championships - Review

The 2016 Pan American Championships ended Saturday in San Luis Potosi, Mexico with a Mexican sweep of the gold medals, which was the first time Mexico had done that. Mexico joins the USA as the only two countries to sweep gold at the Pan American Championships (previously known as Tournament of the Americas).

The last time the USA sweep Men’s and Women's Singles and Doubles was 2003, when the winner’s were Jack Huczek (MS), Laura Fenton (WS), Ruben Gonzalez and Mike Guidry (MD) and Jackie Paraiso and Kim Russell (now Kim Waselenchuk). The USA also swept gold in seven other years: 2001, 1997, 1993, 1991, 1989, 1988 and 1987.

Paola Longoria won gold in both Women’s Singles and Doubles with partner Samantha Salas, and those two gold give her 11 gold medals in her career at the Pan American Championships (7 in Women’s Singles & 4 in Women’s Doubles), and that moves her into 1st place for career gold medals at the Pan American Championships ahead of American Jackie Paraiso, who’s won 10 gold (1 Women’s Singles & 9 Women’s Doubles).

Salas has six gold in Women's Doubles, which have come over the last seven years. Six gold ties her for 3rd overall with Michelle Gould of the USA, who won four in Women’s Singles and two in Women’s Doubles. Salas’s won four of her titles with Longoria, and two with Susana Acosta.

Javier Moreno’s Pan Am Championship gold in Men’s Doubles was his fifth, and puts him into a tie for most gold medals for a men’s player at the championships with American Bill Sell, who won one gold in Men’s Singles and four Men’s Doubles titles. Sell’s gold came between 1988 and 1998, and he won both singles and doubles in 1988.

Moreno’s gold have all come in Men’s Doubles. He won this year with Alejandro Landa, and did so previously with four different partners: Gilberto Meija (2008), Polo Gutierrez (2011 & 2013) and Alvaro Beltran (2015).

Also of note, a second generation of Baileys has now won medals at the Pan American Championships, as American Kelani Bailey got a silver medal this year in Women's Doubles with Michelle Key. Bailey's mother, Malia Kamahoahoa Bailey won gold twice: in Women's Singles in 1989 and in Women's Doubles with Toni Bevelock in 1990. Kelani Bailey was making her first appearance on Team USA, so there may be several more medal opportunities for the USA in her future.

Team Standings

With the gold medal sweeps, Mexico finished first in the team standings in Men’s and Women’s and Overall categories. The USA were the runners up in the Men’s standings with Ecuador 3rd and Canada 4th. Canada was 2nd in the Women’s standings with the USA 3rd and Bolivia 4th. Overall, it was Mexico #1, USA #2, Canada #3, Ecuador #4, Guatemala #5 and Bolivia #6.

The next main international event will be the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships July 15-23, in Cali, Colombia.

XXIX Pan American Racquetball Championships
San Luis Potosi, Mexico - March 19-26, 2016

Women's Singles

Gold - Paola Longoria (Mexico)
Silver - Frédérique Lambert (Canada)
Bronze - Jenny Daza (Bolivia), Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala)

Women's Doubles

Gold - Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico)
Silver - Kelani Bailey & Michelle Key (USA)
Bronze - Frédérique Lambert & Jennifer Saunders (Canada), Maria Paz Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador)

Men's Singles

Gold - Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico)
Silver - Jake Bredenbeck (USA)
Bronze - Fernando Rios (Ecuador), Javier Mar (Mexico)

Men's Doubles

Gold - Alejandro Landa & Javier Moreno (Mexico)
Silver - Fernando Rios & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador)
Bronze - Pedro Castro & Tim Landeryou (Canada), Jake Bredenbeck & David Horn (USA)

Team Standings

Women’s (points)

1. Mexico - 404
2. Canada - 304
3. USA - 236
4. Bolivia - 200
5. Guatemala - 180
6. Ecuador - 176
7. Argentina - 140
8. Costa Rica - 78
9. Honduras - 48
10. Chile - 28

Men’s (points)

1. Mexico - 472
2. USA - 312
3. Ecuador - 268
4. Canada - 196
5. Costa Rica - 156
6. Colombia - 140
7. Guatemala & Argentina - 94
9. Chile - 74
10. Honduras & Puerto Rico - 40
12. Bolivia - 36

Overall (points)

1. Mexico - 876
2. USA - 548
3. Canada - 500
4. Ecuador - 444
5. Guatemala - 274
6. Bolivia - 236
7. Argentina & Costa Rica - 234
9. Colombia - 140
10. Chile - 102
11. Honduras - 88
12. Puerto Rico - 40

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