Gold medals spread around at 2025 Pan American Championships

Argentina’s Diego Garcia and Natalia Mendez both had chances to win two gold medals Thursday at the XXXVI Pan American Championships in Guatemala City, but each had to settle with one: Garcia in singles and Mendez in doubles, as Argentina won two gold medals at the Pan Am Championships for a second year in a row.

But in what might be the biggest win of the day, Carla Muñoz and Alan Natera won Chile’s first gold medal at the Pan Am Championships by taking the Mixed Doubles title with a five game defeat of the Guatemala’s Edwin Galicia and Gabriela Martinez, 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9. It's also the first international gold medal for the veteran Muñoz.

Garcia won his first Pan American Championship and the first ever men’s title for Argentina at these championships by beating top seed Javier Mar of Mexico, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8, in the final. Garcia led for most of the match, using very good drive serves to both sides. Match point came as he drove serve to the left side, and it came out of the left corner and Mar was jammed as he took his shot, which skipped.

Mexican Montserrat Mejia won gold in Women’s Singles by defeating Mendez, 11-4, 12-10, 11-8, for her 2nd Pan American Championship. She also won singles in 2023. Overall, Mejia and Mendez have faced off 8 times across all tours with Mejia winning 7 of them.

They were back and forth after game one, and game two or three (or both) might have gone Mendez’s way, but she made a few loose shots late in those games that gave Mejia another chance, which she put away. That looseness against a player of Mejia’s quality can be killer, and so it was today.

Argentina successfully defended the Women’s Doubles title they won a year ago, although this time Mendez was partnered with Valeria Centellas, rather than Maria Jose Vargas. Nonetheless, they defeated Mexicans Alexandra Herrera and Samantha Salas, 11-4, 12-10, 11-8. It’s the third win in four years for Mendez, and the first for Centellas at the Pan American Championships.

Bolivians Kadim Carrasco and Conrrado Moscoso won Men’s Doubles, defeating Argentina’s Garcia and Gerson Miranda Martinez, 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 11-2, and denying Garcia a second gold medal. It’s the 3rd time Bolivia has won Men’s Doubles and the second time for Moscoso, who last won in 2019 with Roland Keller.

The draws are available through the R2 Sports website. Also, some of the matches are being streamed live, so check out the IRF Facebook page or the IRF YouTube channel for matches.

XXXVI Pan American Racquetball Championships
Guatemala City, Guatemala - April 12-19, 2025

Women's Singles

Medal Round Final - Thursday

6) Montserrat Mejia (Mexico) d. 1) Natalia Mendez (Argentina), 11-4, 12-10, 11-8

Playoff #2 - Final - Thursday

2) Maria Renee Rodriguez (Guatemala) d. 4) Juliette Parent (Canada), 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-9

Medal Round Final - Thursday

3) Diego Garcia (Argentina) d. 1) Javier Mar (Mexico), 11-7, 11-8, 11-8

Playoff #2 - Final - Thursday

10) Jose Daniel Ugalde (Ecuador) d. 4) Rodrigo Salgado Jr. (Chile), injury forfeit

Women's Doubles - Medal Round

Final - Thursday

1) Valeria Centellas & Natalia Mendez (Argentina) d. 2) Alexandra Herrera & Samantha Salas (Mexico), 11-4, 12-10, 11-8

Men's Doubles - Medal Round

Final - Thursday

3) Kadim Carrasco & Conrrado Moscoso (Bolivia) d. 4) Diego Garcia & Gerson Miranda Martinez (Argentina), 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 11-2

Mixed Doubles - Medal Round

Final - Thursday

2) Carla Muñoz & Alan Natera (Chile) d. 5) Edwin Galicia & Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala), 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9

Follow the bouncing ball….