2025 World Games - Medal Summary

The 2025 World Games wrapped up Sunday in Chengdu, China. Athletes from 16 countries competed in Chengdu, and athletes from 5 of them left with medals. Three countries won gold: Argentina, Bolivia and the USA, and three different countries won bronze: Canada, Guatemala and Mexico. Two silver medals went to Argentina and one silver to Mexico.

Athletes could have got two medals in Chengdu, as everyone played singles and mixed doubles. However, only the two Argentine athletes got two medals. Maria José Vargas got gold in singles and silver in mixed doubles, and her team-mate Diego Garcia was the silver medalist in both singles and mixed doubles. Their four medals were the first World Games medals won by Argentine racquetball players.

Vargas ended the World Games gold medal streak of Mexican Paola Longoria, who arrived in China having won gold at the three previous World Games, going back to 2009. But in Chengdu, Longoria lost to Vargas, which was her first loss at a World Games.

Guatemalan Gabriela Martinez got her second career World Games medal in Chengdu, as she was the bronze medalist in singles. Martinez was the silver medalist at the last World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, where she lost in the final to Longoria.

Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso got Bolivia’s first World Games gold medal and only their second medal in World Games history. Bolivian Angelica Barrios got their first one, when she won bronze in Birmingham at the 2022 World Games.

The American gold medal in Mixed Doubles, won by Jake Bredenbeck and Naomi Ros, was the first World Games gold for the USA since 2009, when Jack Huczek won gold in singles, and the first medal of any colour at the World Games since 2013, when both Rocky Carson and Rhonda Rajsich won bronze in Men’s and Women’s Singles, respectively.

Eduardo Portillo’s bronze medal in singles was the 12th medal for Mexico at the World Games, and the 5th by a Mexican man. Overall, Mexico now has 12 World Games medals, which is still well behind the USA’s 20, but ahead of Canada’s 7.

Canada’s bronze in Mixed Doubles - won by Coby Iwaasa and Frédérique Lambert - is their first since 2009, when Vincent Gagnon won bronze in singles. While Canadians have won 7 World Games medals, they have yet to win a gold medal at the World Games.

In the first three World Games racquetball competitions, only athletes from the USA, Canada and Mexico won medals in singles, with the USA winning 12 medals including all six gold medals, Canada winning 5 and Mexico 1. In the last three World Games, six countries have won medals in singles with Mexico taking home 8, Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala, and USA 2 each, and Costa Rica 1. That’s how racquetball has changed from the early days of the 1980s and 1990s to the 2010s and 2020s.

There were several great matches in Chengdu, and you can watch them via The World Games Live website.

2025 World Games - Chengdu, China - August 13-17, 2025

Men’s Singles - Medalists

GOLD - Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia)
SILVER - Diego GARCIA (Argentina)
BRONZE - Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico)
4th - Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala)

Women’s Singles - Medalists

GOLD - Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina)
SILVER - Paola LONGORIA (Mexico)
BRONZE - Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala)
4th - Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia)

Mixed Doubles - Medalists

GOLD - Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA)
SILVER - Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina)
BRONZE - Coby IWAASA & Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada)
4th - Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan)

Medal summary

Argentina - 1 Gold, 2 Silver
Bolivia - 1 Gold
USA - 1 Gold
Mexico - 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Canada - 1 Bronze
Guatemala - 1 Bronze

Follow the bouncing ball…..

Gold for Argentina, Bolivia & USA at 2025 World Games

Argentina, Bolivia, and the USA split the gold medals at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, Sunday. Argentina was represented in all three finals, but only won one of the events, as Maria Jose Vargas ended Mexican Paola Longoria’s World Games gold medal streak in Women’s Singles, 6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9. Vargas is the first woman to win gold at the World Games aside from Longoria since 1995, when American Michelle Gould won gold in The Hague.

Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso won gold in Men’s Singles, defeating Argentine Diego Garcia in a closely fought match that went the distance and then some, as Moscoso won 9-11, 11-2, 11-9, 6-11, 14-12.

Finally, Americans Jake Bredenbeck and Naomi Ros captured gold in the Mixed Doubles final, as they beat Argentinians Vargas and Garcia in three straight games, 11-7, 11-9, 11-6.

Women's Final

In the women’s final, game three was the turning point, as they’d split the first two games. After being close early in game three, Longoria took the lead, and got to game point at 10-6. Vargas got the serve back with a forehand winner, making it 10-7.

Then something curious happened. Vargas hit high lob serves to Longoria, and it made all the difference, as Vargas won five straight points beginning with that serve. Two points came as Longoria tried to return the ball early, and skipped those returns, the second of which came on game point, and made it 12-10.

Vargas continued lob serving to the right side in game four, but also hit some lobs to the left side, and it was a successful formula, as she led from 4-3 on. Longoria did get within one at 9-8 and 10-9, but never drew level.

Vargas won it, as Longoria drove to the left with the score 10-9. Vargas hit a backhand cross court that came off the right wall, and jammed Longoria, so she wasn’t able to hit a good shot, only directing it back cross court to the left. The ball came off the back wall, and Vargas hit a backhand cross court kill shot to win it. She immediately jumped for joy with the victory.

Men's Final

Garcia won the first game of the men’s final, 11-9, and Moscoso took the next two, 11-2, 11-9. Then in game four, Garcia was injured early. He tried to react to a Moscoso shot, but slipped and in doing so strained something in his upper left leg or hip hinge area. He took some injury time, and it wasn’t clear if he was going to be able to continue.

But injuries sometimes can focus a player, and so it was with Garcia, as when he got back on court, he proceeded to win 7 of the next 9 points to take game four, 11-6, and force a fifth game.

That game went the distance and then some with the players being neck and neck the whole way, as there were 10 ties in the game. Moscoso got to 10 first with a great forehand pinch shot from his knees that made it 10-8.

But Garcia fought off those two match points. He first hit a backhand down the line winner off a Moscoso drive serve to the left side. Then Moscoso skipped a backhand in the front court as Garcia had hit a forehand cross court shot. Garcia’s shot wasn’t great, and it seemed Moscoso anticipated a better shot, as it looked like he was going to dive for it, and then realized he didn’t have to, but that had put him out of position leading to the error.

Garcia got his first match point as he hit a backhand down the line, making it 11-10. His followthrough struck Moscoso in the head, and he went down holding his head. Moscoso took a few minutes off court to recover from that before play resumed.

The ensuing rally was 9 shots only the first of which was hit behind from behind the dashed line. Everything else was in the front court with the end coming from a Garcia backhand skip.

Garcia got a second match point after the next rally, as he hit a forehand pinch winner off a Moscoso drive serve to the right side. Moscoso denied Garcia again with a forehand winner.

Then Moscoso hit a lob serve to the left side that came off the left wall and then the back wall, and Garcia drove it down the left side, which seemed to be a winner, as Moscoso unsuccessfully dove in an attempt to get to the ball, ending up on the floor in the back corner. Garcia’s shot seemed to be a winner, but Moscoso appealed the shot - perhaps his countrywoman Angelica Barrios, who was sitting with Moscoso during the match, signalled to him to do so, as he didn’t make the appeal immediately after getting up at the end of the rally.

Regardless, the appeal was successful, so rather than being 13-12 with Garcia serving, it was 13-12 with Moscoso serving. He hit a half lob serve that came off the left wall, and Garcia took a backhand shot from chest high down the line. Moscoso stepped over and punched a pinch shot into the left corner for the match winner.

Moscoso has now won gold at every level of international competition he’s participated in: International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships and Pan American Games, as well as Pan American Championships, South American Games and Bolivarian Games. All that for someone who has yet to turn 30; he’ll do that next month.

Mixed Doubles Final

The Mixed Doubles final was a relatively straight forward win for the USA team of Bredenbeck and Ros. Each of the three games was tied at 4-4, and each time the USA never trailed after that.

In game three, a Bredenbeck ace drive serve to the left side made the score 9-6. Garcia skipped a backhand shot to make it 10-6, and then he did that again off a Bredenbeck drive serve, giving the USA the win.

Both Argentines had played long matches earlier in the day, so that was probably a factor in their performance in the doubles final. But Bredenbeck and Ros played well. Bredenbeck took more of the shots, which is common for a team of two right handed players. But he also played up in the court, cutting a lot of balls off, and putting them into the corners or driving them to one side or the other.

For her part, Ros held her own, and didn’t seem overwhelmed by the situation. She hit lob serves or half lob serves to Vargas, rather than trying to drive serve, which would put the ball where a power player like Vargas prefers to have it. It was an effective strategy.

Watch again & upcoming events

If you missed any of the action from Chengdu, and there were some great matches, check out the archived matches at The World Games Live website.

The next international event will be the XX Bolivarian Games November 22 to December 7 in Lima, Peru. The IRF World Junior Championships will be in December in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

2026 will be a busy year for racquetball, as it’s an IRF World Championships year, and also the Central American and Caribbean Games (in Santo Domingo) and the South American Games (in Santa Fe, Argentina) will both be held as they lead up to the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. Racquetball will be in the Pan Am Games, as was recently announced.

Note the so-called “World Singles and Doubles Championships” in Colorado next month is not an international event. Its name is misleading and confusing to the general public, and anyone unfamiliar with the sport. Using that name is a disservice to racquetball.

2025 World Games - Chengdu, China - August 13-17, 2025

Men’s Singles - Final - Sunday

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) d. 4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina), 9-11, 11-2, 11-9, 6-11, 14-12

Women’s Singles - Final - Sunday

3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) d. 1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico), 6-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-9

Mixed Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) d. 7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina), 11-7, 11-9, 11-6

Follow the bouncing ball…..

2025 World Games - Bronze medal matches

Mexican Eduardo Portillo claimed the first bronze medal in racquetball at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, as he held on to defeat Guatemala’s Edwin Galicia, 19-17, 11-9, 10-12, 8-11, 11-9, in Men’s Singles. Portillo was also a bronze medalist at last year’s International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships.

The first game of that match lasted 25 min, and it ended on the 9th game point. Prior to that, Portillo had five game points and Galicia three, including at 17-16. But Portillo got the last three points to end it, with the last coming from Galicia backhand skip off a Portillo Z serve to the left.

In the breaker, Portillo was up 7-3, only to see Galicia come back to tie it 7-7. Portillo took another lead at 10-7, and Galicia fought off two game points to get within one at 10-9 before Portillo won it with a backhand pinch shot off a lob serve that came off the left wall early allowing Portillo the opportunity to kill it, and he did.

As expected, Gabriela Martinez claimed bronze in Women’s Singles by default, as Bolivian Angelica Barrios was injured in her semi-final match against Mexican Paola Longoria. Martinez now has two World Games medals, having got silver in Birmingham in 2022 after losing to Longoria in the final.

Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Frédérique Lambert won bronze in Mixed Doubles by defeating Japan’s Michimune Kono and Harumi Kajino, 11-3, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4. It’s the first Canadian medal at the World Games since 2009, when Vincent Gagnon got bronze in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

The Canadians and Japanese played for bronze after losing the semi-finals earlier on Saturday. Americans Jake Bredenbeck and Naomi Ros came back from 2-1 down to defeat Iwaasa and Lambert, 9-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9. The Canadians got to 9 first in both game four and five, but the Americans held them at 9 in each game in coming back to win the match.

Argentinians Maria Jose Vargas and Diego Garcia beat Kono and Kajino, 11-4, 11-7, 11-7, in the other semi-final.

Final matches

The finals will be on Sunday at 10 AM for Women’s Singles, 11:15 AM for Men’s Singles and 12:30 PM for Mixed Doubles. The finals live from China via The World Games Live website. Note: those times above are Chengdu times, and, as reference, 6 PM in Chengdu is 6 AM in New York.

2025 World Games - Chengdu, China - August 13-17, 2025

Men’s Singles - 3rd place match - Saturday

2) Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) d. 8) Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala), 19-17, 11-9, 10-12, 8-11, 11-9

Men’s Singles - Final - Sunday

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) v. 4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina) - 11:15 AM

Women’s Singles - 3rd place match - Saturday

2) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala) d. 5) Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia), injury forfeit

Women’s Singles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) v. 3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) - 10 AM

Mixed Doubles - Semi-finals - Saturday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) d. 5) Coby IWAASA & Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada), 9-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9
7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina) d. 11) Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan), 11-4, 11-7, 11-7

Mixed Doubles - 3rd place match - Saturday

5) Coby IWAASA & Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada) d. 11) Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan), 11-3, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4

Mixed Doubles - Final - Sunday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) v. 7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina) - 12:30 PM

Note: All times above are Chengdu times. 6 PM in Chengdu is 6 AM in New York.

Follow the bouncing ball…..

2025 World Games - Heartbreak for Barrios

Mexican Paola Longoria will have a chance to win a fourth consecutive World Games gold medal at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, as she advanced to Sunday’s final with a hard fought win over Bolivian Angelica Barrios, who was two points away from upsetting Longoria, leading 9-7 in the fifth game of their match, when she suffered a right knee injury while hitting a backhand cross court shot from the middle of the service box.

It was a non-contact injury, which are often the worst, and as she was helped off the court, you sensed there was no way she was going to continue. However, Barrios gave it a go, and got back on the court as her injury time was over. But it was clear that putting weight on her right leg was difficult. She hobbled through three rallies, all won by Longoria, and after trying to go for a ball on the right side, Barrios realized she couldn't continue. Thus, Longoria won, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 10-9, injury forfeit.

In the final, Longoria will face 3rd seed Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina, who defeated 2nd seed Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala in four close games, winning 10-12, 14-12, 12-10, 11-6.

The Men’s Singles final will be Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso versus Argentina’s Diego Garcia, and they will get the first racquetball medals for their countries in men’s play at the World Games.

In the semi-finals, Moscoso defeated 2nd seed Eduardo Portillo of Mexico, 11-4, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, and Garcia beat Guatemalan Edwin Galicia, 12-10, 11-4, 11-9. Portillo and Galicia will play for bronze on Saturday.

In the Mixed Doubles quarterfinals, Americans Jake Bredenbeck and Naomi Ros beat Costa Ricans Andrés Acuña and Larissa Faeth, 11-7, 11-6, 11-5, and in the semi-finals they’ll play Canadians Coby Iwaasa and Frédérique Lambert, who defeated Guatemalans Martinez and Galicia, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8, in the quarters.

In the Argentina-Mexico showdown, Argentina was victorious, as Vargas and Garcia beat Longoria and Portillo, 11-9, 11-8, 11-4. Vargas was the player of the match in that one, as she had a very strong performance. In the semi-finals, Argentina will play Japan, as Michimune Kono and Harumi Kajino got a forfeit win over Bolivians Moscoso and Barrios, as a result of Barrios’s injury during her singles match.

Saturday matches

There will be five matches on Saturday beginning with the Mixed Doubles semi-finals at 1:30 and 2:30 PM. Then the bronze medal matches will begin at 6 PM with the Men’s match (Galicia v. Portillo) followed by the women’s semi at 7 PM (Martinez v. Barrios, which could be a default given Barrio’s injury) and finally the Mixed Doubles bronze medal match at 8 PM.

The finals will be on Sunday at 10 AM for Women’s Singles, 11:15 AM for Men’s Singles and 12:30 PM for Mixed Doubles.

You can watch some of the matches live from China via The World Games Live website. Note: the times above are Chengdu times, and, as reference, 6 PM in Chengdu is 6 AM in New York.

2025 World Games - Chengdu, China - August 13-17, 2025

Men’s Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina) d. 8) Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala), 12-10, 11-4, 11-9
3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) d. 2) Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico), 11-4, 11-3, 9-11, 11-6

Men’s Singles - 3rd place match - Saturday

2) Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) v. 8) Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) - 6 PM

Men’s Singles - Final - Sunday

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) v. 4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina) - 11:15 AM

Women’s Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) d. 5) Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia), 9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 10-9, injury forfeit
3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) d. 2) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala), 10-12, 14-12, 12-10, 11-6

Women’s Singles - 3rd place match - Saturday

2) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala) v. 5) Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) - 7 PM

Women’s Singles - Final - Sunday

1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) v. 3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) - 10 AM

Mixed Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) d. 9) Andrés ACUÑA & Larissa FAETH (Costa Rica), 11-7, 11-6, 11-5
5) Coby IWAASA & Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada) d. 4) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ & Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala), 11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8

11) Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan) d. 3) Conrrado MOSCOSO & Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia), forfeit
7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina) d. 2) Paola LONGORIA & Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico), 11-9, 11-8, 11-4

Mixed Doubles - Semi-finals - Satuday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) v. 5) Coby IWAASA & Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada) - 1:30 PM
7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina) v. 11) Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan) - 2:30 PM

Note: All times above are Chengdu times. 6 PM in Chengdu is 6 AM in New York.

Follow the bouncing ball…..

2025 World Games - Men's top seed & defending gold medalist both upset

Thursday at the 2025 World Games racquetball competition in Chengdu, China, brought the first real surprises, and they happened in Men’s Singles. Guatemalan Edwin Galicia upset top seeded American Jake Bredenbeck, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, to advance to the semi-finals, and give himself a chance at a medal, which would be a first for a Guatemalan man at the World Games.

In the semis, Galicia will face Argentina’s Diego Garcia, who knocked off the defending World Games racquetball champion in Costa Rican Andrés Acuña, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6. Garcia’s a solid player, so that he defeated Acuña is not too surprising, but doing it in three straight games is surprising.

The other side of the men’s draw has gone to form. Second seed Eduardo Portillo of Mexico beat Japan’s Michimune Kono in three straight games, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9, and in what at 65 min might have been the longest match so far, 3rd seed Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia defeated 6th seeded Canadian Coby Iwaasa, 12-10, 8-11, 11-1, 11-5.

There were no surprises on the women’s side. Top seed and defending World Games gold medalist Paola Longoria of Mexico defeated Canadian Frédérique Lambert in three games, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8, and 2nd seed and silver medalist from Birmingham Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala was also a straight game winner, beating 15 year old Costa Rican Larissa Faeth, 11-8, 11-3, 11-8.

Third seed Maria Jose Vargas of Argentina had the most decisive victory, as she beat Dominican Republic’s Maria Cespedes, 11-1, 11-4, 11-1. Vargas will play Martinez in the semi-finals, while Longoria faces Bolivian Angélica Barrios in the semi-finals, as Barrios, the 5th seed, defeated 4th seeded American Naomi Ros, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9. While an upset by the seedings, Barrios win isn’t a surprise, as she has a longer record than Ros, who is still a teenager, though she’ll turn 20 at the end of the month.

Mixed Doubles began on Thursday, and there was only one match that went more than three games. In that, Costa Ricans Acuña and Faeth defeated Dominicans Ramon De Leon and Maria Cespedes, 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, which sets up a match with Americans Bredenbeck and Ros in the quarterfinals, which will be an interesting battle of two similar teams: a hard hitting guy and a teenage gal.

But the pick of the doubles quarters will be Mexico versus Argentina with Longoria and Portillo going up against Vargas and Garcia. Only one of those teams is going to have a chance to make the podium.

The 4/5 match should also be good, as 4th seeds Guatemala - Galicia and Martinez - take on 5th seeds Canada - Iwaasa and Lambert. That’s also a battle of in-laws, as Iwaasa is married to Martinez’s sister, making them brother and sister in-law, respectively.

Friday matches

Friday will start with the singles semi-finals from noon on with the men playing first and then the women. The Mixed Doubles quarters will be at 6 and 7 PM.

Looking ahead, Saturday will have the Mixed Doubles semi-finals at 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM and the bronze medal matches in Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles and Mixed Doubles at 6, 7, and 8 PM, respectively. The finals will all be on Sunday at 10 AM for Women’s Singles, 11:15 for Men’s Singles and 12:30 for Mixed Doubles.

You can watch some of the matches live from China via The World Games Live website. Note: the times above are Chengdu times, and, as reference, 6 PM in Chengdu is 6 AM in New York.

2025 World Games - Chengdu, China - August 13-17, 2025

Men’s Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday

8) Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) d. 1) Jake BREDENBECK (USA), 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6
4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina) d. 5) Andrés ACUÑA (Costa Rica), 11-6, 11-8, 11-6

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) d. 6) Coby IWAASA (Canada), 12-10, 8-11, 11-1, 11-5
2) Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) d. 10) Michimune KONO (Japan), 11-5, 11-6, 11-9

Men’s Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina) v. 8) Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) - Noon
2) Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) v. 3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) - 1 PM

Women’s Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday

1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) d. 8) Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada), 11-4, 11-7, 11-8
5) Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) d. 4) Naomi ROS (USA), 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9

3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) d. 6) Maria CESPEDES (Dominican Republic), 11-1, 11-4, 11-1
2) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala) d. 10) Larissa FAETH (Costa Rica), 11-8, 11-3, 11-8

Women’s Singles - Semi-finals - Friday

1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) v. 5) Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) - 2 PM
2) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala) v. 3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) - 3 PM

Mixed Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) d. 16) Yuan WANG & Han-Yang HUANG (Chinese Taipei), 11-3, 11-2, 11-3
9) Andrés ACUÑA & Larissa FAETH (Costa Rica) d. 8) Ramon DE LEON & Maria CESPEDES (Dominican Republic), 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7

5) Coby IWAASA & Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada) d. 12) Aisling HICKEY & Jonathan O'KEENEY (Ireland), 11-1, 11-5, 12-10
4) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ & Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) d. 13) Carlo PAPINI & Cristina AMAYA (Italy), 11-0, 11-1, 11-1

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO & Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) d. 14) Marcel LUNSMANN & Angela GRISAR (Germany), 11-8, 11-7, 11-6
11) Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan) d. 6) Sumin LEE & Gunhee LEE (South Korea), 11-2, 11-9, 11-5

7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina) d. 10) Jose Daniel UGALDE & Maria Angela VILLACRESES (Ecuador), 11-7, 11-5, 12-10
2) Paola LONGORIA & Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) d. 15) Kosetty JYOTHEEKALYAN & Shilpa DALVI (India), 11-3, 11-0, 11-1

Mixed Doubles - Quarterfinals - Friday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) v. 9) Andrés ACUÑA & Larissa FAETH (Costa Rica) - 6 PM
4) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ & Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) v. 5) Coby IWAASA & Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada) - 7 PM

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO & Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) v. 11) Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan) - 6 PM
2) Paola LONGORIA & Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) v. 7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina) - 7 PM

Note: All times above are Chengdu times. 6 PM in Chengdu is 6 AM in New York.

Follow the bouncing ball…..

2025 World Games - Wednesday results

The 2025 World Games racquetball competition began Wednesday in Chengdu, China, and there weren’t any surprises, although one came close. Dominican Ramon De Leon had a 2-0 lead on Canadian Coby Iwaasa, and a 5-2 lead in the 3rd game. But Iwaasa managed to come back and tie the game at 6-6, and then went ahead 9-6, holding on to win 11-9.

After that the wheels fell off the De Leon bus, so Iwaasa prevailed, 9-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-2. His win sets up a tasty quarterfinal with Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso, who was a straight game winner over German Marcel Lunsmann, 11-4, 11-7, 11-5.

Edwin Galicia of Guatemala came back from a game down to defeat Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador, 4-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-3, in the only other Round of 16 men’s match to go more than three games. Galicia’s win sets up a quarterfinal with top seed Jake Bredenbeck of the USA, who beat Han-Yang Huang of Chinese Taipei, 11-2, 11-3, 11-3.

The pick of the quarterfinals could be Argentine Diego Garcia versus Costa Rican Andrés Acuña, the defending World Games gold medalist, who is somehow only seeded 5th. In the 16s, Garcia defeated Jonathan O'Keeney of Ireland, 11-6, 11-2, 11-3, while Acuña beat Gunhee Lee of South Korea, 11-4, 11-1, 11-2.

There was an upset on the women’s side, as youthful exuberance in Costa Rica’s Larissa Faeth defeated veteran experience in Italy’s Cristina Amaya, 11-6, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6. She’ll play 2nd seed Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala in the quarterfinals, as Martinez - the silver medalist from Birmingham - saw off veteran Angela Grisar of Germany, 11-5, 11-0, 11-4.

Top seed and defending World Games gold medalist Paola Longoria of Mexico comfortably beat Yuan Wang of Chinese Taipei, 11-1, 11-2, 11-2, but it shouldn’t be so comfortable in the quarters, as she’ll play Canadian Frédérique Lambert, who defeated South Korea’s Sumin Lee in three games, 11-9, 11-1, 12-10.

The 4/5 quarterfinal is interesting, as it’s young American Naomi Ros versus almost as young Bolivian Angélica Barrios. Ros needed four games to see off Ecuador’s Maria Angela Villacreses, 11-5, 11-2, 10-12, 11-1. She did have a match point in game three, but Villacreses fought it off and extended the match.

For her part, Barrios trailed Ireland’s Aisling Hickey for all of game one until she tied it at 9-9. Barrios got the last two points to win that game, and then took the next two as well, winning the match, 11-9, 11-2, 11-6.

Thursday matches

The schedule has Mixed Doubles starting on Thursday with the Round of 16 from 10 to 1. Then the singles quarterfinals will begin at 4 and go to 7. You can watch some of the matches live from China via The World Games Live website. They were doing one match at each start time, and seemed to alternate between a women’s and men’s match on Wednesday.

2025 World Games - Chengdu, China - August 13-17, 2025

Men’s Singles - Round of 16 - Wednesday

1) Jake BREDENBECK (USA) d. 16) Han-Yang HUANG (Chinese Taipei), 11-2, 11-3, 11-3
8) Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) d. 9) Jose Daniel UGALDE (Ecuador), 4-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-3

5) Andrés ACUÑA (Costa Rica) d. 12) Gunhee LEE (South Korea), 11-4, 11-1, 11-2
4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina) d. 13) Jonathan O'KEENEY (Ireland), 11-6, 11-2, 11-3

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) d. 14) Marcel LUNSMANN (Germany), 11-4, 11-7, 11-5
6) Coby IWAASA (Canada) d. 11) Ramon DE LEON (Dominican Republic), 9-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-2

10) Michimune KONO (Japan) d. 7) Kosetty JYOTHEEKALYAN (India), 11-4, 11-1, 11-4
2) Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) d. 15) Carlo PAPINI (Italy), 11-1, 11-4, 11-3

Men’s Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday

1) Jake BREDENBECK (USA) v. 8) Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) - 4 PM
4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina) v. 5) Andrés ACUÑA (Costa Rica) - 5 PM

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) v. 6) Coby IWAASA (Canada) - 7 PM
2) Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) v. 10) Michimune KONO (Japan) - 6 PM

Women’s Singles - Round of 16 - Wednesday

1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) d. 16) Yuan WANG (Chinese Taipei), 11-1, 11-2, 11-2
8) Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada) d. Sumin LEE (South Korea), 11-9, 11-1, 12-10

5) Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) d. 12) Aisling HICKEY (Ireland), 11-9, 11-2, 11-6
4) Naomi ROS (USA) d. Maria Angela VILLACRESES (Ecuador), 11-5, 11-2, 10-12, 11-1

3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) d. 14) Shilpa DALVI (India), 11-2, 11-1, 11-3
6) Maria CESPEDES (Dominican Republic) d. 11) Harumi KAJINO (Japan), 11-4, 11-3, 11-2

10) Larissa FAETH (Costa Rica) d. 7) Cristina AMAYA (Italy), 11-6, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6
2) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala) d. 15) Angela GRISAR (Germany), 11-5, 11-0, 11-4

Women’s Singles - Quarterfinals - Thursday

1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) v. 8) Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada) - 5 PM
4) Naomi ROS (USA) v. 5) Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) - 4 PM

3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) v. 6) Maria CESPEDES (Dominican Republic) - 6 PM
2) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala) v. 10) Larissa FAETH (Costa Rica) - 7 PM

Mixed Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) v. 16) Yuan WANG & Han-Yang HUANG (Chinese Taipei) - 10 AM
8) Ramon DE LEON & Maria CESPEDES (Dominican Republic) v. 9) Andrés ACUÑA & Larissa FAETH (Costa Rica) - 10 AM

5) Coby IWAASA & Frédérique LAMBERT (Canada) v. 12) Aisling HICKEY & Jonathan O'KEENEY (Ireland) - 11 AM
4) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ & Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) v. 13) Carlo PAPINI & Cristina AMAYA (Italy) - 11 AM

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO & Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) v. 14) Marcel LUNSMANN & Angela GRISAR (Germany) - Noon
6) Sumin LEE & Gunhee LEE (South Korea) v. 11) Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan) - Noon

7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina) v. 10) Jose Daniel UGALDE & Maria Angela VILLACRESES (Ecuador) - 1 PM
2) Paola LONGORIA & Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) v. 15) Kosetty JYOTHEEKALYAN & Shilpa DALVI (India) - 1 PM

Note: All times above are Chengdu times. 6 PM in Chengdu is 6 AM in New York.

Follow the bouncing ball…..

2025 World Games Draws

The 2025 World Games racquetball competition begins Wednesday in Chengdu, China, and we have a rundown of the draws for you below. There are three events: Men’s and Women’s Singles as well as Mixed Doubles. The players in the singles draws will team up to play in the mixed doubles event.

In Men’s Singles, Jake Bredenbeck of the USA is the top seed, and probably a good bet to make the final, although he may have to play defending World Games gold medalist Andrés Acuña of Costa Rica in the semi-finals. But Acuña will likely face a trickier match in the quarterfinals in Diego Garcia of Argentina than Bredenbeck will against either Edwin Galicia of Guatemala or Jose Daniel Ugalde of Ecuador.

Eduardo Portillo of Mexico is the 2nd seed, and we like him to reach the semi-finals, but then he’ll probably play 3rd seed Conrrado Moscoso of Bolivia, which should be a great match that could go either way. However, to make that happen Moscoso will likely need to defeat Canadian Coby Iwaasa in the quarterfinals, and that won’t be an easy match.

On the women’s side, Mexican Paola Longoria has a chance to win a 4th consecutive World Games gold medal. Given the draw, where she is seeded #1, you’d give her a good chance to get that 4th gold medal, as looks like she’ll make the final.

Longoria might face Canadian Frédérique Lambert in the quarterfinals, and that could be tricky. Also, she’ll probably play Angelica Barrios of Bolivia, which also could be challenging to Longoria.

Nonetheless, you’d fancy her to get to the final, where she’ll likely face either Argentina’s Maria Jose Vargas or Guatemala’s Gabriela Martinez. If it’s Martinez, that will be a repeat of the final from Birmingham, Alabama in 2022.

In Mixed Doubles, there will be some interesting quarterfinal matches. The most intriguing could be Mexicans Longoria and Portillo versus Argentines Vargas and Garcia. Only one of those teams is making the podium, and the winner will likely play Bolivians Barrios and Moscoso in the semi-finals.

On the other side of the draw, Guatemalans Galicia and Martinez will likely face off in the quarters with Canadians Iwaasa and Lambert with the winner to face Americans Bredenbeck and Ros in the semis. However, the Americans will need to defeat either Costa Ricans Acuña and Faeth or Dominicans De Leon and Cespedes in the quarters, and that could be a tricky match.

Where to watch

All in all, there should be great racquetball matches to be seen. But will we be able to see them if we’re not in Chengdu? It seems that matches will be streamed live from China via The World Games Live website with matches to begin at 9 PM CDT (corresponding to 10 AM in Chengdu). So, let’s check that out and see how it goes.

2025 World Games - Chengdu, China - August 13-17, 2025

Men’s Singles - Round of 16 - Wednesday

1) Jake BREDENBECK (USA) v. 16) Han-Yang HUANG (Chinese Taipei) - 10 AM
8) Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) v. 9) Jose Daniel UGALDE (Ecuador) - 11 AM

5) Andrés ACUÑA (Costa Rica) v. 12) Gunhee LEE (South Korea) - Noon
4) Diego GARCIA (Argentina) v. 13) Jonathan O'KEENEY (Ireland) - 5 PM

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia) v. 14) Marcel LUNSMANN (Germany) - 4 PM
6) Coby IWAASA (Canada) v. 11) Ramon DE LEON (Dominican Republic) - 6 PM

7) Kosetty JYOTHEEKALYAN (India) v. 10) Michimune KONO (Japan) - 1 PM
2) Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) v. 15) Carlo PAPINI (Italy) - 7 PM

Women’s Singles - Round of 16 - Wednesday

1) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) v. 16) Yuan WANG (Chinese Taipei) - 11 AM
8) Frederique LAMBERT (Canada) v. Sumin LEE (South Korea) - 10 AM

5) Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) v. 12) Aisling HICKEY (Ireland) - Noon
4) Naomi ROS (USA) v. Maria Angela VILLACRESES (Ecuador) - 1 PM

3) Maria Jose VARGAS (Argentina) v. 14) Shilpa DALVI (India) - 4 PM
6) Maria CESPEDES (Dominican Republic) v. 11) Harumi KAJINO (Japan) - 7 PM

7) Cristina AMAYA (Italy) v. 10) Larissa FAETH (Costa Rica) - 5 PM
2) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ (Guatemala) v. 15) Angela GRISAR (Germany) - 6 PM

Mixed Doubles - Round of 16 - Thursday

1) Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS (USA) v. 16) Yuan WANG & Han-Yang HUANG (Chinese Taipei) - 10 AM
8) Ramon DE LEON & Maria CESPEDES (Dominican Republic) v. 9) Andrés ACUÑA & Larissa FAETH (Costa Rica) - 10 AM

5) Coby IWAASA & Frederique LAMBERT (Canada) v. 12) Aisling HICKEY & Jonathan O'KEENEY (Ireland) - 11 AM
4) Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ & Edwin GALICIA (Guatemala) v. 13) Carlo PAPINI & Cristina AMAYA (Italy) - 11 AM

3) Conrrado MOSCOSO & Angélica BARRIOS (Bolivia) v. 14) Marcel LUNSMANN & Angela GRISAR (Germany) - Noon
6) Sumin LEE & Gunhee LEE (South Korea) v. 11) Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO (Japan) - Noon

7) Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA (Argentina) v. 10) Jose Daniel UGALDE & Maria Angela VILLACRESES (Ecuador) - 1 PM
2) Paola LONGORIA & Eduardo PORTILLO (Mexico) v. 15) Kosetty JYOTHEEKALYAN & Shilpa DALVI (India) - 1 PM

Note: All times above are Chengu times. Noon in Chengdu is midnight in New York.

Follow the bouncing ball…..

2025 World Games Preview

Later this week the 2025 World Games will begin in Chengdu, China, but the racquetball part of the games will begin next week on August 13. This will be the 7th time racquetball has been included in the World Games program. Racquetball was part of the first World Games in 1981, which is now also recognized as the first Racquetball World Championships.

New this year is a mixed doubles competition. Racquetball at the World Games has generally been a singles only competition with a maximum of two players from each qualifying country.

The players qualified for Chengdu based on results from the 2025 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Championships in San Antonio, Texas. Previously, qualifying went to the specific player who competed at Worlds, but this time the qualifying went to the country, so if Sally from the USA qualified from her World Championship performance, but was injured and couldn’t participate in the World Games, the USA could send a different player in her place. Previously, Sally’s absence would have meant the next player from the order of qualifying players would be selected to play at the World Games, regardless of what country that player was from.

With this change there is only one player per country in the men’s and women’s singles competitions, so as to maximize the number of participating countries. Those players will be the mixed doubles teams for their respective countries.

Thus, there will be 16 countries competing in Chengdu. Qualifying spots were given to four Asian countries, four European countries and eight countries from the Americas. One of the Asian spots was not taken (that of the host nation, China), so Ecuador has taken its place.

Who’s there?

Both the defending World Games gold medalists from the 2022 Games in Birmingham, Alabama are in Chengdu. Thus, Andrés Acuña of Costa Rica and Paola Longoria of Mexico will have a chance to defend their gold medals from three years ago (note: originally, the Birmingham games were to be held in 2021, but were postponed to 2022 due to the COVID pandemic).

The women’s silver and bronze medalists from Birmingham - Gabriela Martinez of Guatemala and Angélica Barrios of Bolivia, respectively - will also be in Chengdu, but neither of the other men’s medalists - Mexicans Rodrigo Montoya and Andree Parrilla - will be. Instead, Eduardo Portillo will be representing Mexico in China.

Along with Acuña and Portillo, the other favourites on the men’s side will be Bolivian Conrrado Moscoso and American Jake Bredenbeck with Canadian Coby Iwaasa and Argentina’s Diego Garcia as dark horses.

On the women’s side, Longoria, Martinez and Barrios are all players to watch, as is Argentina’s Maria Jose Vargas. Here the dark horses are Canadian Frédérique Lambert and American Naomi Ros. Notably, Angela Grisar - a World Games bronze medalist in 2009 - is in the field representing Germany. We’re not sure how she’s doing that, but we’re also not sure how Cristina Amaya is representing Italy either.

Streaming matches. We hope that some of the matches will be streamed live from China, but this a large games, so the rights to the broadcasts have been bought by someone. Whether that someone will be streaming racquetball is uncertain. Thus, we’re not sure how available streaming will be.

2025 World Games - Chengdu, China - August 13-17, 2025

Field of racquetball players

Argentina - Maria Jose VARGAS & Diego GARCIA
Bolivia - Conrrado MOSCOSO & Angélica BARRIOS
Canada - Coby IWAASA & Frederique LAMBERT
Costa Rica - Andrés ACUÑA & Larissa FAETH
Dominican Republic - Ramon DE LEON & Maria CESPEDES
Ecuador - Jose Daniel UGALDE & Maria Angela VILLACRESES
Germany - Marcel LUNSMANN & Angela GRISAR
Guatemala - Ana Gabriela MARTINEZ & Edwin GALICIA
India - Kosetty JYOTHEEKALYAN & Shilpa DALVI
Ireland - Aisling HICKEY & Jonathan O'KEENEY
Italy - Carlo PAPINI & Cristina AMAYA
Japan - Michimune KONO & Harumi KAJINO
South Korea - Sumin LEE & Gunhee LEE
Mexico - Paola LONGORIA & Eduardo PORTILLO
Chinese Taipei - Yuan WANG & Han-Yang HUANG
USA - Jake BREDENBECK & Naomi ROS

Follow the bouncing ball…..