Mexico sweeps gold at 2019 Pan American Games

Mexico has swept gold in the racquetball competitions at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, winning both Men’s and Women’s Singles and both Men’s and Women’s Doubles. Paola Longoria and Rodrigo Montoya are doubles gold medalists, winning both singles and doubles. In the Women’s Singles final, Longoria defeated Maria José Vargas of Argentina, 15-7, 15-9, while Montoya beat team-mate Alvaro Beltran in the Men’s Singles final, 9-15, 15-6, 11-0. Montoya's win makes him the 3rd men's player to be both Pan Am Games gold medalist while also being International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Champion in Men's Singles after the USA's Jack Huczek and Rocky Carson.

In the doubles finals, Longoria and Samantha Salas needed a tie-breaker to defeat Guatemalans Gabriela Martinez and Maria Rodriguez, 15-5, 11-15, 11-5, to win a 3rd consecutive Pan Am Games gold medal in Women’s Doubles. Their three gold medals is the most for a Women's Doubles team at the Pan Am Games, breaking a tie they had with Joy Mackenzie and Jackie Paraiso of the USA. Montoya teamed up with Javier Mar to defeat Bolivians Roland Keller and Conrrado Moscoso, 15-10, 15-1, in the Men’s Doubles final. Keller and Moscoso were also silver medalists in Men’s Doubles four years ago in Toronto.

The 2019 Pan Am Games racquetball competition continues Wednesday afternoon, when the team competition begins with each country fielding two singles players and a doubles team in a best of three matches against each other. The finals of the team competition will be Saturday.

2019 Pan American Games - Lima, Peru

MEDAL ROUNDS

Men’s Singles - Final

3) Rodrigo MONTOYA (Mexico) d. 1) Alvaro BELTRAN (Mexico), 9-15, 15-6, 11-0

Women’s Singles - Final

2) Paola LONGORIA (Mexico) d. 1) Maria José VARGAS (Argentina), 15-7, 15-9

Men’s Doubles - Final

4) Javier MAR & Rodrigo MONTOYA (Mexico) d. 2) Roland KELLER & Conrrado MOSCOSO (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-1

Women’s Doubles - Final

1) Paola LONGORIA & Samantha SALAS (Mexico) d. 3) Gabriela MARTINEZ & Maria RODRIGUEZ (Guatemala), 15-5, 11-15, 11-5

Follow the bouncing ball….