by Ian Marshall
Competing in the under 19 age group, on the second day of play he had joined forces with Dario Arce, Rogelio Castro and Sergio Cano to secure the boys’ team title. Later in the evening, he partnered Arantxa Cossio Aceves to mixed doubles gold. At the final hurdle, the duo overcame colleagues Dario Arce and Clio Barcenas (11-8, 5-11, 11-6, 5-11, 12-10).
A fine start to proceedings, on the concluding day of action it was just the same. He partnered Dario Arce to boys’ doubles success in opposition to Rogelio Castro and Sergio Cano, before overcoming Rogelio Castro (16-14, 11-8, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9) to claim the boys’ singles title.
Titles for girls
Success for Mexico, it was the same for the girls.
Gold in the team event alongside Arantxa Cossio Aceves, Marbella Aceves and Monica Muñoz, Clio Barcenas added to her medal tally. She concluded the tournament by beating Arantxa Cossio Aceves (9-11, 11-2, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 11-2) to reserve the top step of the girls’ singles podium.
Earlier, she had added to her mixed doubles silver medal. Partnering Arantxa Cossio Aceves, the duo had finished in the runners up spot, losing to Marbella Aceves and Monica Muñoz (11-5, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8).
Titles for Guatemala
A clean sweep of titles in the under 19 age group, in the under 15 category, there was a somewhat greater share of honours.
Guatemala who, represented by Ricardo Gatica, Luis Carrillo Turcios and Andy Moscoso, had won the boys’ team title added to their collection of gold.
Ricardo Gatica won the boys’ singles event beating Mexico’s Jorge Buenrostro in the final (11-3, 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9); the win coming after an all Guatemala mixed doubles final had witnessed success for Andy Moscoso and Katherine Ruiz in opposition to Luis Carrillo Turcios and Daniela Linares (14-12, 7-11, 11-7, 5-11, 12-10).
The top step of the podium for Guatemala, in the girls’ doubles it was the same; Jenny Cux and Kimberly Garcia combined to claim the gold at the final expense of Mexico’s Magdalena Briones Lopez and Barbara Serna (6-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9).
More gold
A girls’ doubles defeat for Mexico, in the remaining under 15 age group events it was gold. Jorge Buenrostro and Francisco Ramirez claimed cadet boys’ doubles gold, overcoming Costa Rica’s Alejandro Pereira and Andres Vega in the final (6-11, 11-7, 11-3, 7-11, 11-9); Magdalena Briones Lopez concluded matters the cadet girls’ singles champion. In the final she beat Guatemala’s Kimberly Garcia (11-7, 11-8, 11-5, 11-5).
Representing Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico; a total of 40 boys and 40 girls competed.
2021 Central American Youth Championships:
