Bolivians swept gold in boy’s singles at the 2019 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San José, Costa Rica, and they also captured gold in one girl’s divisions. The results are confirmation of Bolivia’s strength as a racquetball super-power.
Gerson Miranda of Bolivia was top seed in Boy’s U18, and he lived up to that seeding by beating Costa Rican Tomas Sanchez in the final, 15-7, 15-6.
The other two Boy’s finals went to a tie-breaker. In the U16 final, 2nd seed Hector Barrios of Bolivia upset the top seed Sebastian Longoria of Mexico, 15-4, 13-15, 11-7, and in Boy's U14, the top seed Jhonatan Flores (Bolivia) came back from a game down to defeat Nikhil Prasad of the USA, 8-15, 15-11, 11-4.
Bolivian Angelica Barrios got the better of her team-mate Valeria Centellas in the Girl’s U18 final, winning 15-10, 15-13, and earning Bolivia its 4th gold medal.
Costa Rican Maricruz Ortiz denied Bolivia a fifth gold medal, as she came back against Bolivian Micaela Meneses to win gold in Girl’s U16, 11-15, 15-2, 11-10. We thought that would be a close match, as Ortiz and Meneses were impressive in their earlier matches, and it lived up to the billing.
Heather Mahoney won the USA’s only gold medal, as she defeated Mexican Angela Ortega, 15-10, 15-10, in the Girl’s U14 final.
The IRF streamed some of the finals via its Facebook page), and the matches are archived there, so if you missed some of the action - or want to see it again - check it out on Facebook.
31st IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San José, Costa Rica - November 9-16, 2019
U18 Girl's Singles
Final - Saturday
3) Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. 1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia), 15-10, 15-13
U16 Girl's Singles
Final - Saturday
5) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. 2) Micaela Meneses (Bolivia), 11-15, 15-2, 11-10
U14 Girl's Singles
Final - Saturday
2) Heather Mahoney (USA) d. 8) Angela Ortega (Mexico), 15-10, 15-10
U18 Boy's Singles
Final - Saturday
1) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) d. 6) Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica), 15-7, 15-6
U16 Boy's Singles
Final - Saturday
2) Hector Barrios (Bolivia) d. 1) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico), 15-4, 13-15, 11-7
U14 Boy's Singles
Final - Saturday
1) Jhonatan Flores (Bolivia) d. 2) Nikhil Prasad (USA), 8-15, 15-11, 11-4
Follow the bouncing ball….
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Friday, November 15, 2019
Crazy doubles results at 2019 IRF World Junior Championships
Remember how we said yesterday that doubles matches at international events can be a toss up? Well consider that the six final teams in Boy’s Doubles at the 2019 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San José, Costa Rica, come from six countries: Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ireland, Mexico and the USA. In contrast, the Girl’s Doubles finals will all be Bolivia versus Mexico.
Also notable is that the boy’s teams in the finals are the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th and 9th seeds. In the girl’s finals, it’s #1 versus #2 in two of the finals, and #1 versus #3 in the other.
Let’s start with perhaps the most surprising finalists: Ireland’s Daniel Hanrahan and Keelan O’Gorman. In Boy’s U14, they defeated Colombians Juan Rodriguez and Duvan Torres in two close games, 15-14, 15-12, to become the first Irish players in a final at World Juniors since 1998 (according to a tweet by Racquetball Ireland).
In the final, the Irish boys will play the 3rd seeded Mexicans Luis Renteria and Jorge Gutierrez, who needed three games to upset 2nd seeds Jhonatan Flores and Ezequiel Subieta of Bolivia, 15-5, 6-15, 11-5.
As with the quarterfinals in Boy’s U18, the semis were also close with both going tie-breaker and one ending in an upset. The 9th seeded Costa Ricans Pablo Freer and Tomas Sanchez caused that upset by holding off the 4th seeded Argentina team of Diego Garcia and Tomas Oyhanart, 15-3, 9-15, 11-8.
Thus, Freer and Sanchez will have a chance to win gold at home, when they play 6th seeds Esteban De Janon and Juan Flores of Ecuador on Saturday. Ecuador also won a close tie-breaker in defeating the 7th seeded Mexican team of Emir Martinez and Jose Ramos, 15-10, 8-15, 11-9.
When did we last see a final between the 6th seed and the 9th seed? Have we ever seen it?
In Boy’s U16, the 5th seeded USA team of Nikhill Prasad and Timothy Hansen upset the 1st seeds Sebastian Longoria and Erick Trujillo of Mexico by just about the closest scoreline possible: 15-14, 14-15, 11-8. The USA will play Bolivia in the final, as Hector Barrios and Adrian Jaldin of Bolivia defeated Josue Bermeo and Pablo Vera of Ecuador, 15-9, 15-13.
In Girl’s U18, top seeds Angelica Barrios and Valeria Centellas of Bolivia are in the final, as expected, as they beat 4th seeds Fabiana Landy and Ana Sarmiento of Ecuador, 15-1, 15-2. Bolivia will play the Mexicans Marifer Gutierrez and Anna Rivera, who were the only upset winners in girl’s doubles Friday, as they were seeded 3rd and defeated the 2nd seeded USA team of Nikita Chauhan and Erin Slutzky, 15-9, 15-6.
Also of note, Cubans Suniaris Rodriguez and Loraine Felipe were one game away from becoming the first Cuban team to be in a World Junior Final, as they went tie-breaker in the Girl’s U16 semi-finals, but ultimately fell to Mexicans Guadalupe Griffin and Ximena Martinez, 4-15, 15-8, 11-5. Mexico will play Bolivia in the final, as Bolivians Micaela Meneses and Camila Rivero defeated Costa Ricans Sofia Freer and Maricruz Ortiz, 15-13, 15-8.
The IRF will stream some of the finals live via its Facebook page). The times for the matches are central standard time.
31st IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San José, Costa Rica - November 9-16, 2019
U18 Boy's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
9) Pablo Freer & Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica) d. 4) Diego Garcia & Tomas Oyhanart (Argentina), 15-3, 9-15, 11-8
6) Esteban De Janon & Juan Flores (Ecuador) d. 7) Emir Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico), 15-10, 8-15, 11-9
Final - Saturday
6) Esteban De Janon & Juan Flores (Ecuador) v. 9) Pablo Freer & Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica) - 3 PM
U16 Boy's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
5) Nikhill Prasad & Timothy Hansen (USA) d. 1) Sebastian Longoria & Erick Trujillo (Mexico), 15-14, 14-15, 11-8
2) Hector Barrios & Adrian Jaldin (Bolivia) d. 3) Josue Bermeo & Pablo Vera (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-13
Final - Saturday
2) Hector Barrios & Adrian Jaldin (Bolivia) v. 5) Nikhill Prasad & Timothy Hansen (USA) - 2 PM
U14 Boy's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
8) Daniel Hanrahan & Keelan O’Gorman (Ireland) d. 4) Juan Rodriguez & Duvan Torres (Colombia), 15-14, 15-12
3) Luis Renteria & Jorge Gutierrez (Mexico) d. 2) Jhonatan Flores & Ezequiel Subieta (Bolivia), 15-5, 6-15, 11-5
Final - Saturday
3) Luis Renteria & Jorge Gutierrez (Mexico) v. 8) Daniel Hanrahan & Keelan O’Gorman (Ireland) - 1 PM
U18 Girl's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) d. 4) Fabiana Landy & Ana Sarmiento (Ecuador), 15-1, 15-2
3) Marifer Gutierrez & Anna Rivera (Mexico) d. 2) Nikita Chauhan & Erin Slutzky (USA), 15-9, 15-6
Final - Saturday
1) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) v. 3) Marifer Gutierrez & Anna Rivera (Mexico) - 3 PM
U16 Girl's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Micaela Meneses & Camila Rivero (Bolivia) d. 4) Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-13, 15-8
2) Guadalupe Griffin & Ximena Martinez (Mexico) v. 3) Suniaris Rodriguez & Loraine Felipe (Cuba), 4-15, 15-8, 11-5
Final - Saturday
1) Micaela Meneses & Camila Rivero (Bolivia) v. 2) Guadalupe Griffin & Ximena Martinez (Mexico) - 2 PM
U14 Girl's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Gisele Nieto & Angela Ortega (Mexico) d. 4) Ava Kaiser & Kareena Mathew (USA), 15-3, 15-1
2) Valeria Miranda & Krystin Salinas (Bolivia) d. 3) Anna Aguilar & Andrea Reyes (Guatemala), 15-6, 15-11
Final - Saturday
1) Gisele Nieto & Angela Ortega (Mexico) v. 2) Valeria Miranda & Krystin Salinas (Bolivia) - 1 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Also notable is that the boy’s teams in the finals are the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th and 9th seeds. In the girl’s finals, it’s #1 versus #2 in two of the finals, and #1 versus #3 in the other.
Let’s start with perhaps the most surprising finalists: Ireland’s Daniel Hanrahan and Keelan O’Gorman. In Boy’s U14, they defeated Colombians Juan Rodriguez and Duvan Torres in two close games, 15-14, 15-12, to become the first Irish players in a final at World Juniors since 1998 (according to a tweet by Racquetball Ireland).
So proud of our lads as they make the Boys U14 Doubles World Final at the 2019 @IRFRacquetball World Junior Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica! First time since 1998 that Team Ireland have an athlete in a World Junior Final!
— Racquetball Ireland (@racquetballire) November 16, 2019
🇮🇪☘️🇮🇪☘️#COYBIG #racquetball #racquetballireland https://t.co/XsVK5u7W4X
In the final, the Irish boys will play the 3rd seeded Mexicans Luis Renteria and Jorge Gutierrez, who needed three games to upset 2nd seeds Jhonatan Flores and Ezequiel Subieta of Bolivia, 15-5, 6-15, 11-5.
As with the quarterfinals in Boy’s U18, the semis were also close with both going tie-breaker and one ending in an upset. The 9th seeded Costa Ricans Pablo Freer and Tomas Sanchez caused that upset by holding off the 4th seeded Argentina team of Diego Garcia and Tomas Oyhanart, 15-3, 9-15, 11-8.
Thus, Freer and Sanchez will have a chance to win gold at home, when they play 6th seeds Esteban De Janon and Juan Flores of Ecuador on Saturday. Ecuador also won a close tie-breaker in defeating the 7th seeded Mexican team of Emir Martinez and Jose Ramos, 15-10, 8-15, 11-9.
When did we last see a final between the 6th seed and the 9th seed? Have we ever seen it?
In Boy’s U16, the 5th seeded USA team of Nikhill Prasad and Timothy Hansen upset the 1st seeds Sebastian Longoria and Erick Trujillo of Mexico by just about the closest scoreline possible: 15-14, 14-15, 11-8. The USA will play Bolivia in the final, as Hector Barrios and Adrian Jaldin of Bolivia defeated Josue Bermeo and Pablo Vera of Ecuador, 15-9, 15-13.
In Girl’s U18, top seeds Angelica Barrios and Valeria Centellas of Bolivia are in the final, as expected, as they beat 4th seeds Fabiana Landy and Ana Sarmiento of Ecuador, 15-1, 15-2. Bolivia will play the Mexicans Marifer Gutierrez and Anna Rivera, who were the only upset winners in girl’s doubles Friday, as they were seeded 3rd and defeated the 2nd seeded USA team of Nikita Chauhan and Erin Slutzky, 15-9, 15-6.
Also of note, Cubans Suniaris Rodriguez and Loraine Felipe were one game away from becoming the first Cuban team to be in a World Junior Final, as they went tie-breaker in the Girl’s U16 semi-finals, but ultimately fell to Mexicans Guadalupe Griffin and Ximena Martinez, 4-15, 15-8, 11-5. Mexico will play Bolivia in the final, as Bolivians Micaela Meneses and Camila Rivero defeated Costa Ricans Sofia Freer and Maricruz Ortiz, 15-13, 15-8.
The IRF will stream some of the finals live via its Facebook page). The times for the matches are central standard time.
31st IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San José, Costa Rica - November 9-16, 2019
U18 Boy's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
9) Pablo Freer & Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica) d. 4) Diego Garcia & Tomas Oyhanart (Argentina), 15-3, 9-15, 11-8
6) Esteban De Janon & Juan Flores (Ecuador) d. 7) Emir Martinez & Jose Ramos (Mexico), 15-10, 8-15, 11-9
Final - Saturday
6) Esteban De Janon & Juan Flores (Ecuador) v. 9) Pablo Freer & Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica) - 3 PM
U16 Boy's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
5) Nikhill Prasad & Timothy Hansen (USA) d. 1) Sebastian Longoria & Erick Trujillo (Mexico), 15-14, 14-15, 11-8
2) Hector Barrios & Adrian Jaldin (Bolivia) d. 3) Josue Bermeo & Pablo Vera (Ecuador), 15-9, 15-13
Final - Saturday
2) Hector Barrios & Adrian Jaldin (Bolivia) v. 5) Nikhill Prasad & Timothy Hansen (USA) - 2 PM
U14 Boy's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
8) Daniel Hanrahan & Keelan O’Gorman (Ireland) d. 4) Juan Rodriguez & Duvan Torres (Colombia), 15-14, 15-12
3) Luis Renteria & Jorge Gutierrez (Mexico) d. 2) Jhonatan Flores & Ezequiel Subieta (Bolivia), 15-5, 6-15, 11-5
Final - Saturday
3) Luis Renteria & Jorge Gutierrez (Mexico) v. 8) Daniel Hanrahan & Keelan O’Gorman (Ireland) - 1 PM
U18 Girl's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) d. 4) Fabiana Landy & Ana Sarmiento (Ecuador), 15-1, 15-2
3) Marifer Gutierrez & Anna Rivera (Mexico) d. 2) Nikita Chauhan & Erin Slutzky (USA), 15-9, 15-6
Final - Saturday
1) Angelica Barrios & Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) v. 3) Marifer Gutierrez & Anna Rivera (Mexico) - 3 PM
U16 Girl's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Micaela Meneses & Camila Rivero (Bolivia) d. 4) Sofia Freer & Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica), 15-13, 15-8
2) Guadalupe Griffin & Ximena Martinez (Mexico) v. 3) Suniaris Rodriguez & Loraine Felipe (Cuba), 4-15, 15-8, 11-5
Final - Saturday
1) Micaela Meneses & Camila Rivero (Bolivia) v. 2) Guadalupe Griffin & Ximena Martinez (Mexico) - 2 PM
U14 Girl's Doubles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Gisele Nieto & Angela Ortega (Mexico) d. 4) Ava Kaiser & Kareena Mathew (USA), 15-3, 15-1
2) Valeria Miranda & Krystin Salinas (Bolivia) d. 3) Anna Aguilar & Andrea Reyes (Guatemala), 15-6, 15-11
Final - Saturday
1) Gisele Nieto & Angela Ortega (Mexico) v. 2) Valeria Miranda & Krystin Salinas (Bolivia) - 1 PM
Follow the bouncing ball….
Singles Semi-finals at 2019 IRF World Junior Championships
The semi-finals were on tap Friday at the 2019 International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in San José, Costa Rica with the winners to play off in the finals on Saturday.
In the Boy’s U18, top seed Gerson Miranda from Bolivia defeated 4th seed Diego Garcia of Argentina, 15-6, 15-8 in one semi-final, while Costa Rican Tomas Sanchez - playing on home soil - won a crazy match with Mexican Jose Ramos, 15-10, 0-15, 11-10. Ramos scored 20 straight points - 15 straight in game two and then the first 5 in game three - but still lost the match.
After being down 5-0 in the tie-breaker, Sanchez took the lead at 9-6, only to see Ramos catch up and tie it 9-9 with a backhand kill shot. Sanchez stopped Ramos’s run there with a backhand kill shot of his own. Sanchez got to 10-9 on the next rally with a forehand winner. But his first match point went by as Ramos returned Sanchez drive serve to the left side with a backhand pinch winner.
Sanchez got the serve back with a nice forehand shot that he was sort of jammed on, but didn’t try to do too much with - just put it into the open space where Ramos couldn’t reach it. On match point #2, Sanchez hit backhand down the line that Ramos put to the ceiling. Then that happened a second time. Sanchez then tried to change it up, and attempted a pinch shot from deep on the left side that didn’t make the front wall. It would have been better to keep hitting the down the line.
With the serve back, Ramos tied it at 10-10 with a good forehand pinch shot. That gave him an opportunity to serve for the match. On that rally, Ramos had a similar set up to previous rally, but this time he skipped the pinch shot, giving the serve back to Sanchez.
Match point #3 was the charm for Sanchez. Ramos hit another forehand pinch shot, but left it up, and Sanchez - a tall, lanky player - was able to reach it and put a soft, controlled backhand down the left side well that Ramos couldn’t reach.
As Sanchez joyously laid on his back, Ramos walked straight off the court, gathered his things and was gone seconds after the match was over.
In Boy’s U14, it will be #1 versus #2 in the final, as top seed Jhonatan Flores of Bolivia beat 13th seed Hector Sierra of Guatemala, 15-1, 15-5, and 2nd seed Nikhil Prasad of the USA defeated 14th seed Juan Rodriguez of Colombia, 15-6, 15-8. Sierra and Rodriguez had good runs in the event, but fell short on Friday.
The Girl’s U18 final is as expected: a showdown between the two Bolivians - Valeria Centellas and Angelica Barrios. In the semi-finals, Centellas defeated Martina Katz of Argentina, 15-5, 15-3, and Barrios beat Ana Sarmiento of Ecuador, 15-4, 15-0.
The first semi-final in Girl’s U16 was not close, as Costa Rican Maricruz Ortiz looked very strong in her win over the USA’s Annie Roberts, 15-1, 15-2. In the final, Ortiz will play Bolivian Micaela Meneses, who defeated Mexican Ximena Martinez, 15-0, 15-9. Both players have been impressive in their medal round matches: Meneses has handed out two doughnuts and Ortiz one, and both have only surrendered double digit points in one of the six games they have played.
There were two close semi-final matches in Girl’s U14 with one of them going tie-breaker. Mexican Angela Ortega, seeded 8th, narrowly upset 4th seed Ava Kaiser of the USA, 15-12, 15-14, and Kaiser’s team-mate - the 2nd seed Heather Mahoney -squeaked out a win in three games over 3rd seed Camila Rivero from Bolivia, 15-9, 6-15, 11-9.
Of the 12 finalists, six are Bolivian with two each from Costa Rica, Mexico and the USA. Bolivia is guaranteed gold in Girl’s U18, as both finalists are Bolivian, and could win as many as five gold medals in singles.
The IRF will be streaming some of the finals via its Facebook page). The times for the matches are central standard time.
31st IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San José, Costa Rica - November 9-16, 2019
U18 Girl's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) d. 4) Martina Katz (Argentina), 15-5, 15-3
3) Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. 2) Ana Sarmiento (Ecuador), 15-4, 15-0
Final - Saturday
1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) v. 3) Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) - Noon
U16 Girl's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
5) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. 9) Annie Roberts (USA), 15-1, 15-2
2) Micaela Meneses (Bolivia) d. 3) Ximena Martinez (Mexico), 15-0, 15-9
Final - Saturday
2) Micaela Meneses (Bolivia) v. 5) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) - 11 AM
U14 Girl's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
8) Angela Ortega (Mexico) v. 4) Ava Kaiser (USA), 15-12, 15-14
2) Heather Mahoney (USA) d. 3) Camila Rivero (Bolivia), 15-9, 6-15, 11-9
Final - Saturday
2) Heather Mahoney (USA) v. 8) Angela Ortega (Mexico) - 10 AM
U18 Boy's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) d. 4) Diego Garcia (Argentina), 15-6, 15-8
6) Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica) d. 7) Jose Ramos (Mexico), 15-10, 0-15, 11-10
Final - Saturday
1) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) v. 6) Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica) - Noon
U16 Boy's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) d. 4) Adrian Jaldin (Bolivia), 11-15, 15-11, 11-8
2) Hector Barrios (Bolivia) d. 6) Timothy Hansen (USA), 8-15, 15-9, 11-5
Final - Saturday
1) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) v. 2) Hector Barrios (Bolivia) - 11 AM
U14 Boy's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Jhonatan Flores (Bolivia) d. 13) Hector Sierra (Guatemala), 15-1, 15-5
2) Nikhil Prasad (USA) d. 14) Juan Rodriguez (Colombia), 15-6, 15-8
Final - Saturday
1) Jhonatan Flores (Bolivia) v. 2) Nikhil Prasad (USA) - 10 AM
Follow the bouncing ball….
In the Boy’s U18, top seed Gerson Miranda from Bolivia defeated 4th seed Diego Garcia of Argentina, 15-6, 15-8 in one semi-final, while Costa Rican Tomas Sanchez - playing on home soil - won a crazy match with Mexican Jose Ramos, 15-10, 0-15, 11-10. Ramos scored 20 straight points - 15 straight in game two and then the first 5 in game three - but still lost the match.
After being down 5-0 in the tie-breaker, Sanchez took the lead at 9-6, only to see Ramos catch up and tie it 9-9 with a backhand kill shot. Sanchez stopped Ramos’s run there with a backhand kill shot of his own. Sanchez got to 10-9 on the next rally with a forehand winner. But his first match point went by as Ramos returned Sanchez drive serve to the left side with a backhand pinch winner.
Sanchez got the serve back with a nice forehand shot that he was sort of jammed on, but didn’t try to do too much with - just put it into the open space where Ramos couldn’t reach it. On match point #2, Sanchez hit backhand down the line that Ramos put to the ceiling. Then that happened a second time. Sanchez then tried to change it up, and attempted a pinch shot from deep on the left side that didn’t make the front wall. It would have been better to keep hitting the down the line.
With the serve back, Ramos tied it at 10-10 with a good forehand pinch shot. That gave him an opportunity to serve for the match. On that rally, Ramos had a similar set up to previous rally, but this time he skipped the pinch shot, giving the serve back to Sanchez.
Match point #3 was the charm for Sanchez. Ramos hit another forehand pinch shot, but left it up, and Sanchez - a tall, lanky player - was able to reach it and put a soft, controlled backhand down the left side well that Ramos couldn’t reach.
As Sanchez joyously laid on his back, Ramos walked straight off the court, gathered his things and was gone seconds after the match was over.
In Boy’s U14, it will be #1 versus #2 in the final, as top seed Jhonatan Flores of Bolivia beat 13th seed Hector Sierra of Guatemala, 15-1, 15-5, and 2nd seed Nikhil Prasad of the USA defeated 14th seed Juan Rodriguez of Colombia, 15-6, 15-8. Sierra and Rodriguez had good runs in the event, but fell short on Friday.
The Girl’s U18 final is as expected: a showdown between the two Bolivians - Valeria Centellas and Angelica Barrios. In the semi-finals, Centellas defeated Martina Katz of Argentina, 15-5, 15-3, and Barrios beat Ana Sarmiento of Ecuador, 15-4, 15-0.
The first semi-final in Girl’s U16 was not close, as Costa Rican Maricruz Ortiz looked very strong in her win over the USA’s Annie Roberts, 15-1, 15-2. In the final, Ortiz will play Bolivian Micaela Meneses, who defeated Mexican Ximena Martinez, 15-0, 15-9. Both players have been impressive in their medal round matches: Meneses has handed out two doughnuts and Ortiz one, and both have only surrendered double digit points in one of the six games they have played.
There were two close semi-final matches in Girl’s U14 with one of them going tie-breaker. Mexican Angela Ortega, seeded 8th, narrowly upset 4th seed Ava Kaiser of the USA, 15-12, 15-14, and Kaiser’s team-mate - the 2nd seed Heather Mahoney -squeaked out a win in three games over 3rd seed Camila Rivero from Bolivia, 15-9, 6-15, 11-9.
Of the 12 finalists, six are Bolivian with two each from Costa Rica, Mexico and the USA. Bolivia is guaranteed gold in Girl’s U18, as both finalists are Bolivian, and could win as many as five gold medals in singles.
The IRF will be streaming some of the finals via its Facebook page). The times for the matches are central standard time.
31st IRF World Junior Racquetball Championships
San José, Costa Rica - November 9-16, 2019
U18 Girl's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) d. 4) Martina Katz (Argentina), 15-5, 15-3
3) Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) d. 2) Ana Sarmiento (Ecuador), 15-4, 15-0
Final - Saturday
1) Valeria Centellas (Bolivia) v. 3) Angelica Barrios (Bolivia) - Noon
U16 Girl's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
5) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) d. 9) Annie Roberts (USA), 15-1, 15-2
2) Micaela Meneses (Bolivia) d. 3) Ximena Martinez (Mexico), 15-0, 15-9
Final - Saturday
2) Micaela Meneses (Bolivia) v. 5) Maricruz Ortiz (Costa Rica) - 11 AM
U14 Girl's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
8) Angela Ortega (Mexico) v. 4) Ava Kaiser (USA), 15-12, 15-14
2) Heather Mahoney (USA) d. 3) Camila Rivero (Bolivia), 15-9, 6-15, 11-9
Final - Saturday
2) Heather Mahoney (USA) v. 8) Angela Ortega (Mexico) - 10 AM
U18 Boy's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) d. 4) Diego Garcia (Argentina), 15-6, 15-8
6) Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica) d. 7) Jose Ramos (Mexico), 15-10, 0-15, 11-10
Final - Saturday
1) Gerson Miranda (Bolivia) v. 6) Tomas Sanchez (Costa Rica) - Noon
U16 Boy's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) d. 4) Adrian Jaldin (Bolivia), 11-15, 15-11, 11-8
2) Hector Barrios (Bolivia) d. 6) Timothy Hansen (USA), 8-15, 15-9, 11-5
Final - Saturday
1) Sebastian Longoria (Mexico) v. 2) Hector Barrios (Bolivia) - 11 AM
U14 Boy's Singles
Semi-finals - Friday
1) Jhonatan Flores (Bolivia) d. 13) Hector Sierra (Guatemala), 15-1, 15-5
2) Nikhil Prasad (USA) d. 14) Juan Rodriguez (Colombia), 15-6, 15-8
Final - Saturday
1) Jhonatan Flores (Bolivia) v. 2) Nikhil Prasad (USA) - 10 AM
Follow the bouncing ball….
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