The draws for the racquetball competition of the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile have been released, and we have them for you below. Due to the Pan Am Games time restriction, there will not be a group stage of matches. Thus, it’s win or go home right from the start.
Competition starts on Saturday, but there are only a few matches in singles, and two or three in the doubles divisions, as most players have byes to the second round.
Some might wonder why Argentina is the top seed in Women’s Singles, rather than Mexico, which is the top seed in both Women’s Doubles and Men’s Doubles; Bolivia is the top seed in Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles. Seeding is determined by recent results, and in this case, likely by recent results in Pan American Championships. Maria José Vargas was the runner up in both the 2022 and 2023 Pan American Championships, which were won by Bolivian Angelica Barrios and Mexican Montserrat Mejia, respectively. But neither of Bolivia nor Mexico got on the podium in the years they didn’t win, so on balance, Argentina had the better result. Thus, they are the top seeds in Santiago.
Difficulty ahead
This just in: it’s going to be difficult to medal in Santiago. For example, on the top of the Men’s Singles draw the quarterfinalists will likely be Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia), #1 seed, #4 seed Eduardo Portillo (Mexico), #5 Daniel De La Rosa (USA), and then either Costa Rican Andrés Acuña or Canadian Coby Iwaasa. Oof dah.
So, you might think “I’d rather be on the bottom of the draw,” which seems sensible, until you see that those quarters will likely be 2nd seed Carlos Keller (Bolivia), 3rd seed Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico), 7th seed Samuel Murray, and then either 6th seed Adam Manilla (USA) or 11th seed Diego Garcia (Argentina). Oh la la.
On paper, the top half of the Women’s Singles draw looks easier than the bottom half, as Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) is clearly the best player on the top with potential challenges from Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) and Natalia Mendez (Argentina), as well as Frédérique Lambert (Canada) and Veronica Sotomayor. The bottom, however, has Vargas, Paola Longoria (Mexico), Gabriela Martinez (EAI), Erika Manilla (USA) as well as Carla Muñoz (Chile).
Doubles will also be tough. The middle seedings of Men’s Doubles with Ecuador’s Juan Francisco Cueva and Jose Daniel Ugalde against Costa Rica’s Andrés Acuña and Gabriel Garcia and the USA’s Daniel De La Rosa and Alejando Landa versus Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Samuel Murray should be especially competitive.
Pan Am Games Streaming
We understand that the Panam Sports Channel will be carrying racquetball from October 24 on. Maybe they will have some before that. Check out the IRF Facebook page for updates.
Also, if you are in Canada, you may be able to see some of the action through the CBC Gem app (available where you get your apps), or possibly CBCSports.ca or the CBC Sport app. Coverage will be dependent on what they can access from the host broadcasters, and will be more likely if Canadians are still alive in the draws.
Here are the draws for the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
2023 Pan American Games - Santiago, Chile
Men’s Singles - Saturday
1) Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
16) Juan Salvatierra (EAI) v. 17) Maikel Moyet (Cuba) - 10 AM
9) Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) - BYE
8) Coby Iwaasa (Canada) - BYE
5) Daniel De La Rosa (USA) - BYE
12) Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) - BYE
13) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) v. 20) Rafael Gatica (Chile) - 10:45 AM
4) Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) - BYE
3) Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - BYE
14) Juan Francisco Cueva (Ecuador) v. 19) Jaime Mansilla (Chile) - 10 AM
11) Diego Garcia (Argentina) - BYE
6) Adam Manilla (USA) - BYE
7) Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
10) Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) - BYE
15) Edwin Galicia (EAI) v. 18) Yandy Espinosa (Cuba) - 10:45 AM
2) Carlos Keller (Bolivia) - BYE
Women’s Singles - Saturday
1) Natalia Mendez (Argentina) - BYE
16) Paula Mansilla (Chile) v. 17) Frédérique Lambert (Canada) - 11:30 AM
9) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) - BYE
8) Maria Renee Rodriguez (EAI) - BYE
5) Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) - BYE
12) Michelle Key (USA) v. 21) Samira Ferrer Marcilli (Cuba) - 12:15 PM
13) Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. 20) Maria Cespedes (Dominican Republic) - 12:15 PM
4) Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) - BYE
3) Paola Longoria (Mexico) - BYE
14) Maria José Muñoz (Ecuador) v. 19) Merynanyelly Delgado (Dominican Republic) - 11:30 AM
11) Erika Manilla (USA) v. 22) Kylie Larduet (Cuba) - 11:30 AM
6) Yasmine Sabja (Bolivia) - BYE
7) Gabriela Martinez (EAI) - BYE
10) Jimena Gomez (Costa Rica) - BYE
15) Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 18) Michèle Morissette (Canada) - 12:15 PM
2) Maria José Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
Men’s Doubles - Saturday
1) Javier Mar & Rodrigo Montoya (Mexico) - BYE
8) Diego Garcia & Fernando Kurzbard (Argentina) v. 9) Yandy Espinosa & Maikel Moyet (Cuba) - 3 PM
5) Juan Francisco Cueva & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
4) Andrés Acuña & Gabriel Garcia (Costa Rica) - BYE
3) Daniel De La Rosa & Alejando Landa (USA) - BYE
6) Coby Iwaasa & Samuel Murray (Canada) - BYE
7) Edwin Galicia & Juan Salvatierra (EAI) v. 10) Rafael Gatica & Rodrigo Salgado Jr. - 3 PM
2) Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
Women’s Doubles - Saturday
1) Alexandra Herrera & Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) - BYE
8) Michèle Morissette & Frédérique Lambert (Canada) v. 9) Jimena Gomez & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) - 4 PM
5) Michelle Key & Erika Manilla (USA) - BYE
4) Natalia Mendez & Maria José Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
3) Angelica Barrios & Jenny Daza (Bolivia) - BYE
6) Maria José Muñoz & Veronica Sotomayor (Ecuador) v. 11) Maria Céspedes & Merynanyelly Delgado (Cuba) - 4 PM
7) Paula Mansilla & Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 10) Samira Ferrer Marcilli & Kylie Larduet (Cuba) - 4 PM
2) Gabriela Martinez & Maria Renee Rodriguez (EAI) - BYE
Mixed Doubles - Saturday
1) Angelica Barrios & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) - BYE
8) Frédérique Lambert & Samuel Murray (Canada) v. 9) Maricruz Ortiz & Andrés Acuña (Costa Rica) - 5 PM
5) Veronica Sotomayor & Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) - BYE
4) Diego Garcia & Maria José Vargas (Argentina) - BYE
3) Adam Manilla & Erica Manilla (USA) - BYE
6) Edwin Galicia & Gabriela Martinez - BYE (EAI)
7) Jaime Mansilla & Carla Muñoz (Chile) v. 10) Samira Ferrer Marcilli & Maikel Moyet (Cuba) - 5 PM
2) Paola Longoria & Eduardo Portillo (Mexico) - BYE
Follow the bouncing ball....
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