Clean sweep for Guatemala, Hector Gatica unbeaten throughout

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

However, as he progressed to secure the Men’s Singles top prize, he did endure some exacting moments, none more than at the quarter-final stage when facing colleague Allan Guttierez, the no.4 seed; he emerged successful but only by the minimal two point margin in the deciding seventh game (9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9). The reason for Allan Guttierez being in the same quarter of the draw is that no national association is permitted to win more than two medals per event.

Success against a colleague, in the next two rounds it was success against Panama; in hard fought encounters, Hector Gatica recorded a semi-final success against Jacobo Vahnish, the (11-8, 8-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7), prior to securing the title at the expense of Omer Avi-Tal, the no.2 seed (11-7, 10-12, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8).

In the adjacent half of the draw, in the round of the last eight, Omer Avi-Tal had beaten El Salvador’s Julio Calderon, the no.5 seed (11-9, 11-6, 11-5, 9-11, 20-18), prior to securing his place in the final courtesy of success in opposition to Guatemala’s Kevin Montufar (11-5, 7-11, 6-11, 11-6, 711, 11-9, 11-8).

Hard earned success for Hector Gatica; it was just as hard earned for Andrea Estrada in the Women’s Singles event. The no.2 seed, at the final hurdle, she accounted for Guatemalan colleague and top seed, Mabelyn Enriquez in a contest determined by the narrowest of decisions (8-11, 13-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-6, 8-11, 12-10).

Earlier in the quarter-finals, Andrea Estrada had beaten compatriot, Lucia Cordero, the no.6 seed, in a full distance duel (11-2, 11-5, 5-11, 11-2, 6-11, 3-11, 11-8) prior to overcoming El Salvador’s Emme Arias, the no.4 seed (11-6, 11-7, 11-2, 11-6, 11-7) in the penultimate round.

Meanwhile, in the opposite half of the draw, in the round of the last eight, Mabelyn Enriquez accounted for Andrea Montufar, the no.8 seed and also from Guatemala in a tense seven games duel decided by the minimal two point differential (11-9, 2-11, 11-5, 12-10, 9-11, 7-11, 11-9), prior to recording a semi-final success in opposition to El Salvador’s Estefania Ramirios, the no.3 seed (11-9, 11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9).

Impressively, Guatemala concluded proceedings in the table tennis events with seven gold, four silver and one bronze; thus making a major contribution to the overall total of 107 gold, 86 silver and 84 bronze medals; first place in the overall table.