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…..
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