Exciting matches were played on the last day of the V Pan Am Para-Badminton Championships 2018, held in Lima, Peru, with the participation of outstanding Para-Badminton Athletes from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, United States, Venezuela and host Peru.
More than a hundred Pan Am players did their best to search for the best results and score points to qualify for the Para-Pan American Games 2019.
Vitor Tavarez (BRA) and Pilar Jauregui (PER) won 3 gold medals. Marcelo Alves (BRA), Giuliana Poveda (PER), Eduardo Oliveira (BRA), Cintya Oliveira (BRA) and Julio Godoy(BRA) also won more than one gold medal in this tournament.
In SS6 category, Brazil’s Vitor Tavares won triple crown in his first pan am championships. In singles, he beat Miles Krajewski (USA) and together with Miles won the gold in Doubles after facing Jesus Salva (PER) and Dhiego Guimaraes (BRA). Vitor got his third gold medal in Mixed Doubles along with Ruby Fernandez (PER) after beating seeded one duo Jesus Salva and Giuliana Poveda (PER).
Pilar Jauregui (PER), is still the Pan-American WH2 champion. Peruvian star repeated the 2016 achievement and won the gold in Singles after defeating Yuka Chokyu (CAN), who also won the gold medal in Doubles with Pilar. In addition, Jauregui reaffirmed to be the best and got her third crown in Mixed Doubles with Rodolfo Cano (BRA).
Three Pan-American crowns has joined Marcelo Alves Conceicao in Singles WH1 (2014, 2016 & 2018) who won the gold after beating Rodolfo Cano (BRA) in the Final. In addition, Marcelo won the gold medal in Doubles WH1-WH2 with Julio Cesar Godoy(BRA), who was also champion in Singles WH2, and silver in Mixed Doubles with Danielle Souza (BRA).
Peru’s young star Giuliana Poveda, Ranked 1 in BWF Para-Badminton Ranking SS6, won gold in Singles, in Doubles with Katherine Valli (USA) and Silver in Mixed Doubles with Jesus Salva. Also, Giuliana received a special recognition for the first place in BWF Ranking obtained this past days.
The King Raul
From Guatemala, he was one of the first athletes to practice Para-Badminton in our region and has the same number of crowns as Pan American Championships have been made (2010, 2013, 2014, 2016 & 2018).
Last Sunday, Raul Anguiano added his fifth Pan-American Championship in the SL4 category, after overcoming Johan Brenno (BRA) in the semifinals and Pascal Lapointe (CAN) in the final.
Raul is not only the best on the court, he also collaborates with the growth of Para-Badminton in the world as he is Deputy Chair of the BWF Para-Badminton Athletes Commission.
Para-Badminton talent
During the Award Ceremony, Pan Am Para-Badminton Athletes showed their artistic talent. Peru’s young athlete Rosa Velasquez, who with only 11 years old played her first international tournament, danced a typical dance of the host country called ‘Marinera’. In addition, Martin Casillas is an opera singer and delighted the audience singing the Peruvian anthem.
Pan Am Badminton President, Mr Vishu Tolan led the Award Ceremony, among with Mr. Wayne Somers, BWF Council Member, Mr. Jose Del Busto, BPAC Vice-president, Mr. Gonzalo Castillo, president of Peru Badminton Federation and Mrs Luisa Villar, Peru Paralympic Association.
Special thanks for all the Technical Officials who participated in this event, showing the commitment they have with our sport and are preparing also for the following competitions.
Our Pan Am Para-Badminton Athletes will continue to seek qualification for Lima 2019 and the Para-Badminton Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020.
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Photo credit: BPAC | Badminton Peru (featured)
