by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Success for Panama and it was very much honours shared on the concluding day of action.
Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi won the counterpart Under 13 Girls’ Singles overcoming Puerto Rico’s Kassanadra Maldonado in the final (12-10, 11-7, 11-9); whilst in the Under 11 age group, Colombia’s Miguel Aguirre and Mexico’s Hannah Martin emerged as the respective Boys’ Singles and Girls’ Singles champions.
At the final hurdle, Miguel Aguirre accounted for Mexico’s Rogelio Castro, Hannah Martin overcame Peru’s Maria La Torre (11-8, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9).
Defeat for Peru but earlier there had been success. Carlos Fernandez and Angel Jimenez had won the Under 13 Boys’ Doubles title beating Puerto Rico’s Angel Naranjo and Jabdiel Torres at the final hurdle (11-1, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5); whilst Francesco Escobedo and Alejandra Medina emerged successful in the Under 13 Girls’ Doubles competition.
They accounted for Chile’s Macarena Montecino and Miriam Ruiz, in the title deciding contest (10-12, 15-13, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9).
Two titles for Peru, it was the same for Puerto Rico. Brianna Burgos partnered Daymar Castro to Under 11 Girls’ Doubles success and Oscar Birriel to the top prize in the Under 11 Mixed Doubles competition. In the final of the former, the Puerto Rican duo overcame the host nation’s Isabel Solar and Ana Yenobi; the latter it was success in opposition to colleagues Derek Valentin and Dayama Castro (11-6, 10-12, 11-9, 11-5).
Meanwhile, in the two remaining events decided on the concluding day of play there were further titles for Colombia and for Mexico.
Miguel Aguirre and José Acevedo beat Mexico’s Jorge Buenastro and Rogelio Castro (11-7, 14-12, 11-3) to win the Under 11 Boys’ Doubles event; the latter’s colleagues Juan Gomez and Marbella secured the Under 13 Mixed Doubles gold medal, at the final hurdle they accounted for Peru’s José Zapata and Rosalyn Leon (11-9, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4).
Overall 85 boys and 78 girls participated, they represented 18 national associations: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago.
2016 Latin American Under 13 and Under 11 Championships: Full Results and Roll of Honour