12 Feb 2017

Success for Mexico’s Dario Arce and Clio Barcenos alongside the host nation’s Lucia Cordero on Saturday 11th February, meant that the trio concluded play at the 2016 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships in Guatemala with a full house of available titles.

Earlier in the tournament, in the Under 15 events, Dario Arce had been a member of the successful gold winning Boys’ Team, before later partnering colleague Adrian Castillo to Boys’ Doubles success and Clio Barcenos to the top prize in the Mixed Doubles event.

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

On the final day of action, after beating Guatemala’s Kevin Ruano in the penultimate round (7-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-7, 12-10), he accounted for Panama’s Jacobo Vahnish (7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5) to arrest the Boys’ Singles top prize.

In the counterpart semi-final, Jacobo Vahnish had ousted Diego de la Cruz, like Kevin Ruano from Guatemala; impressively Jacobo Vahnish had posted a straight games success (12-10, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7).

Three titles in the Under 15 age group for Dario Arce, it was also three for Clio Barcenos as Mexico swept the board. Additional to Mixed Doubles success in harness with Dario Arce; earlier she had won Girls’ Team gold, prior to being anointed Girls’ Doubles champion in partnership with Marbella Aceves.

Three gold medals, in the Girls’ Singles event she made it four. She beat Marbella Aceves at the semi-final stage (11-7, 11-9, 11-6, 6-11, 6-11, 11-7), before securing the title at the final expense of Monica Muñoz (11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 13-11) in an event that saw all four semi-finalists being from Mexico. In the counterpart semi-final, Monica Muñoz had beaten Ana Magaña (11-3, 11-2, 11-9, 11-9).

Impressive in the Under 15 age group; in the Under 18 age category; Lucia Cordero was equally imposing.

Success in the Girls’ Team event had been followed with Girls’ Doubles success in partnership with colleague with Hidalynn Zapata and Mixed Doubles gold when joining forces with Noe Sanchez.

Impressively in the Girls’ Singles event, having beaten El Salvador’s Cecilia Orantes at the semi-final stage (11-5, 11-5, 11-7, 11-6), she overcame Hidalynn Zapata to claim the top prize (7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9).

Gold for Guatemala but on the final day of action it was the only gold for the host nation.

Mexico’s Diego Fuentes won the Boys’ Singles event and thus collected his third title of the tournament. Earlier he had been a member of the outfit that had won Boys’ Team gold before joining forces with George Wang to be anointed Boys’ Doubles champions.

At the latter stages, in a hard fought seven games contests, against adversaries from El Salvador,  he overcame Oliver Mendoza in the penultimate round (7-11, 11-7, 10-12, 10-12, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9), before accounting for El Salvador’s Oscar Villalta in the final (7-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8, 11-6). In the adjacent semi-final, Oscar Villalta had been compatriot Jaime Galeano.

Overall Guatemala and Mexico shared the titles; ten for the visitors, four for the hosts.

 Day Four: 2017 Czech Junior and Cadet Open
Photos: Carmen Morales / Rodrigo Navarro

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Players and Teams (Wednesday 8th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Roll of Honour – Team Events (Thursday 9th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Results – Under 18 Boys’ Team and Under 18 Girls’ Team events (Thursday 9th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Results – Under 15 Boys’ Team and Under 15 Girls’ Team events (Thursday 9th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Draw for individual events (Wednesday 8th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Results – Stage One – Under 18 Boys’ Singles & Under 18 Girls’ Singles (Thursday 9th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Results – Stage One – Under 15 Boys’ Singles & Under 15 Girls’ Singles (Thursday 9th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Results – Under 18 Boys’ Doubles, Under 18 Girls’ Doubles, Under 18 Mixed Doubles

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Results – Under 15 Boys’ Doubles, Under 15 Girls’ Doubles, Under 15 Mixed Doubles

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Results – Under 18 Boys’ Singles (Saturday 11th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Results – Under 18 Girls’ Singles (Saturday 11th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Results – Under 15 Boys’ Singles (Saturday 11th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Results – Under 15 Girls’ Singles (Saturday 11th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Roll of Honour (Saturday 11th February)

2017 Central American Under 18 and Under 15 Championships: Full results book (Saturday 11th February)

General News Lucia Cordero Dario Arce Clio Barcenos