Paola Longoria and Daniel De La Rosa won twice on Wednesday, as Mexicans swept the racquetball gold medals Wednesday at the 2018 Central American & Caribbean Games in Barranquilla, Colombia. Longoria won gold in Women’s Singles for the third consecutive time when she defeated Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala, 15-13, 15-7. Her team-mate Daniel De La Rosa fought back from a game down to win the Men’s Singles final, and beat Mario Mercado of Colombia, 9-15, 15-2, 11-5.
In doubles, Longoria and Samantha Salas defeated Gabriela Martinez and Maria Renee Rodriguez of Guatemala, 9-15, 15-9, 11-5, to win Women’s Doubles, while De La Rosa and Alvaro Beltran won Men’s Doubles by beat Costa Ricans Andrés Acuña and Felipe Camacho, 15-9, 15-3.
Mexico has won gold in singles at all but two Central American & Caribbean Games. Fabian Balmori of Venezuela is the only non-Mexican man to win Men’s Singles, doing so In 1993 and 1998. Claudine Garcia of the Dominican Republic (1993) and Antia Maldonado of Puerto Rico (1998) are the two non-Mexican women to win gold in Women’s Singles at the Central American & Caribbean Games.
The Women’s Doubles final was a rematch of the final from four years ago. Mexico has won every Women’s Doubles title at the Central American & Caribbean Games. But after Guatemala won the first game, it looked like they were going to end that streak, and upset Mexico, as Guatemala led 8-1 in game two. But Mexico turned the tables, and won 25 of the next 31 points en route to the three game win.
Don’t be surprised if these two teams meet in the World Championship final in Costa Rica next month.
Mexico has also won gold in Men’s Doubles at every Central American & Caribbean Games, since racquetball was introduced to the games in 1990. De La Rosa and Beltran’s win was the 2nd consecutive Men’s Doubles title for Beltran, who won with Javier Moreno four years ago.
Acuña and Camacho’s silver medal was the 2nd time Costa Rica has finished second in Men’s Doubles at the Central American & Caribbean Games, but the first since 1990, when Orlando Lopez and Maurico Morera were runners up to Mexicans Francisco Martin and Arturo Martin.
The team event will begin Thursday at the Central American & Caribbean Games with the team event finals on Saturday.
2018 Central American & Caribbean Games - July 20-29
Barranquilla, Colombia
Men’s Singles - Final - Wednesday
3) Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 4) Mario Mercado (Colombia), 9-15, 15-2, 11-5
Women’s Singles - Final - Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria (Mexico) d. 2) Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 15-13, 15-7
Men’s Doubles - Final - Wednesday
1) Alvaro Beltran & Daniel De La Rosa (Mexico) d. 2) Andrés Acuña & Felipe Camacho (Costa Rica), 15-9, 15-3
Women’s Doubles - Final - Wednesday
1) Paola Longoria & Samantha Salas (Mexico) d. 2) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala), 9-15, 15-9, 11-5
Follow the bouncing ball….
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
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