Saturday, April 11, 2009

Pan American Championships - Singles finals

Repeats were the order of the day at the Pan American Championship in Cali, Colombia on Saturday, as American Cheryl Gudinas Holmes defeated Bolivian Carola Loma to win her fourth career Pan Am title (but first since 2001), and Alvaro Beltran of Mexico defeated countryman Polo Gutierrez to win his third consecutive Pan Am title.

Gudinas Holmes won in two straight games, 15-5, 15-6. They had played a closer match on Monday in the preliminary round, which Gudinas Holmes won in a tie-breaker. But a third game was not needed in the final.

Nevertheless, Loma is the first non-North American player (that is, not from Canada, Mexico or the USA) to earn a silver medal at the Pan Am Championships.

The men's final was a repeat of last year, including the result, as Beltran beat Gutierrez in two straight games, 15-9, 15-8. Beltran's never lost in the Pan American Championship finals.

Pan American Championships
Women's Singles Final

Cheryl Gudinas Holmes (USA) d. Carola Loma (Bolivia), 15-5, 15-6

Medals
Gold : Cheryl Gudinas Holmes (USA)
Silver : Carola Loma (Bolivia)
Bronze : Paola Longoria (Mexico) & Frédérique T. Lambert (Canada)

Men's Singles final
Alvaro Beltran (Mexico) d. Polo Gutierrez (Mexico), 15-9, 15-8

Medals
Gold : Alvaro Beltran (Mexico)
Silver : Polo Gutierrez (Mexico)
Bronze : Andy Hawthorne (USA) & Kris Odegard (Canada)

Follow the bouncing ball....

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