Mejia & Fernandez win at 2018 Olimpiada Nacional - Mexican Junior Nationals

The Olimpiada Nacional 2018, which are the Mexican Junior Nationals, concluded earlier this week in Chihuahua, and there was an enviable participation rate, as 182 players - 75 girls and 107 boys - participated across three age categories: U18, U16, U14, which are the World Cup divisions at the International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Championships. That large participation rate produced some surprises, as only one of the twelve players seeded #1 or #2 made a final, let alone won their respective division.

But Monserrat Mejia’s win in Girl’s U18 wasn’t a surprise, as she is the current IRF World Junior Champion in the division. Mejia was the #1 seed, but needed a tie-breaker to defeat 6th seed Erin Rivera, 15-3, 7-15, 11-1, in the final.

Sebastian Fernandez won the Boy’s U18 division, which is a bit of a surprise given who else was in the draw, but not a big surprise, because Fernandez is the current U16 World Junior Champion. Yet Fernandez had to defeat the two Boy’s U18 medalists from last year’s World Juniors as well as the top seed to win the title.

In the final, Fernandez came back from a game down to defeat Eduardo Portillo, 7-15, 15-13, 11-8. Portillo was silver medalist in U18 at World Juniors last year. Fernandez squeaked out a tie-breaker against #1 seed Christian Longoria, 15-13, 5-15, 11-10, in the semi-finals, and in the quarterfinals, he beat 4th seed and 2018 World Juniors U18 bronze medalist Gerardo Franco, 15-9, 13-15, 11-7.

In U18 Doubles, neither Mejia on the girl’s side or Fernandez on the boy’s side won with their respective partners. Mejia and Claudia Vizcaino lost to Ana Laura Flores and Erin Rivera in the Girl’s U18 Doubles Final, while Gerardo Franco and Juan Loreto beat Christian Longoria and Saul Rivera, 15-12, 15-2, to win the Boy’s U18 Doubles Final.

The division winners will represent Mexico at the 2018 IRF World Junior Championships, November 10-17, which we believe will be held in Juarez, Mexico.

Olimpiada Nacional 2018
Chihuahua, Mexico - May 13-16, 2018

Girl’s U18 - Final

1) Monserrat Mejia d. 6) Erin Rivera, 15-3, 7-15, 11-1

Semi-finals

1) Monserrat Mejia d. 4) Ana Laura Flores, 15-12, 15-5
6) Erin Rivera d. 7) Ana Kristin Rivera, 15-3, 15-11

Girl’s U16 - Final

4) Delia Aguilar d. 10) Maria Gutierrez, 15-10, 15-4

Semi-finals

4) Delia Aguilar d. 1) Sofia Ramierez, 15-3, 15-4
10) Maria Gutierrez d. 14) Ana Cristina Perez, 15-6, 15-10

Girl’s U14 - Final

3) Daniela Rico d. 9) Karime Estrella, 15-11, 6-15, 11-8

Semi-finals

9) Karime Estrella d. 12) Sofia Hernandez, 3-15, 15-10, 11-1
3) Daniela Rico d. 2) Jessica Balderrama Perez, 15-8, 15-5

Girl’s U18 Doubles - Final

2) Ana Laura Flores & Erin Rivera d. 1) Monserrat Mejia & Claudia Vizcaino, 15-11, 15-9

Semi-finals

1) Monserrat Mejia & Claudia Vizcaino d. 4) Denisse Maldonado & Abril Sacristán, 12-15, 15-9, 11-4
2) Ana Laura Flores & Erin Rivera d. 3) Mariana Gisele Avila & Natalia Gonzalez, 15-6, 15-0

Girl’s U16 Doubles - Final

5) Delia Aguilar & Ana Victoria Orozco d. 3) Guadalupe Griffin & Beatriz Hernandez, 15-3, 14-15, 11-3

Semi-finals

5) Delia Aguilar & Ana Victoria Orozco d. 1) Valeria Hernandez & Sofia Ramirez, 15-3, 15-4
3) Guadalupe Griffin & Beatriz Hernandez d. 2) Vanessa Copca & Maria Gutierrez, 15-3, 14-15, 11-3

Girl’s U14 Doubles - Final

3) Andrea Ibarra & Jessica Balderrama Perez d. 1) Karime Estrella & Angela Ortega, 15-11, 7-15, 11-7

Semi-finals

1) Karime Estrella & Angela Ortega d. 4) Sofia Hernandez & Alexa Robledo, 15-2, 15-0
3) Andrea Ibarra & Jessica Balderrama Perez d. 7) Constanza Moreno & Alondra Yañez, 15-9, 15-2

Boy’s U18 - Final

12) Sebastian Fernandez d. 23) Eduardo Portillo, 7-15, 15-13, 11-8

Semi-finals

12) Sebastian Fernandez d. 1) Christian Longoria, 15-13, 5-15, 11-10
23) Eduardo Portillo d. 30) Rodrigo Rodriguez, 15-6, 15-3

Boy’s U16 - Final

14) Elias Nieto d. 13) Andres Trejo, 15-11, 10-15, 11-9

Semi-finals

13) Andres Trejo d. 8) Aldo Caraveo, 15-9, 15-11
14) Elias Nieto d. 2) Guillermo De Jesus Ortega, 15-1, 15-14

Boy’s U14 - Final

10) Omar Gonzalez d. 5) Sebastián Hernández, 15-10, 15-7

Semi-finals

5) Sebastián Hernández d. 16) Andres Ruelas Jr., 15-3, 9-15, 11-9
10) Omar Gonzalez d. 19) Rodrigo Rios, 15-14, 15-1

Boy’s U18 Doubles - Final

3) Gerardo Franco & Juan Loreto d. 1) Christian Longoria & Saul Rivera, 15-12, 15-2

Semi-finals

1) Christian Longoria & Saul Rivera d. 4) Sebastian Fernandez & Luis Saldaña, 12-15, 15-12, 11-6
3) Gerardo Franco & Juan Loreto d. 2) Daniel Maldonado & Rafael Ochoa, 15-10, 13-15, 11-3

Boy’s U16 Doubles - Final

1) Manuel Moncada & Guillermo De Jesus Ortega d. 2) Elias Nieto & Andres Trejo, 3-15, 15-14, 11-9

Semi-finals

1) Manuel Moncada & Guillermo De Jesus Ortega d. 4) Aldo Caraveo, 15-14, 15-13
2) Elias Nieto & Andres Trejo d. 3) Carlos Esparza & Roberto Valencia, 15-13, 15-11

Boy’s U14 Doubles - Final

7) Sebastián Hernández & Omar Gonzalez d. 4) Juan Carlos Castillo & Juan Carlos Picard, 15-6, 15-10

Semi-finals

4) Juan Carlos Castillo & Juan Carlos Picard d. 8) Angel Camacho, 15-7, 15-4
7) Sebastián Hernández & Omar Gonzalez d. 3) Rafael Ayala & Andres Ruelas Jr., 13-15, 15-11, 11-7

Follow the bouncing ball….