Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Havana, November 3 - Cuba said goodbye today to the Para table tennis tournament of the 2025 Chile Youth Parapan American Games after failing to advance in the men's and mixed doubles categories during the group qualifying stages.
At the Luis Pávez sports center in the community of Rengo, the Caribbean athletes lost all nine of their matches on this another long day of competition, though they were left with the experience gained against higher-level opponents with greater competitive experience.
Jorge Julio Massaguer, who finished fifth in the singles, now formed a mixed doubles pair (category 14-20) with teenager Ivanna Rodríguez. They came close to defeating the Salvadoran duo of Javier Córdova and Nahomi Rivera, but the latter ultimately prevailed 3-2 (12-10, 2-11, 12-14, 12-10, 11-9).
In two other matches, the Cuban pair fell to Brazilians Joao Ribeiro and Sophia Kelmer 0-3 (5-11, 4-11, 4-11) and to Chileans Cristóbal García and Joseline Yevenes, also in three sets (3-11, 7-11, 3-11).
Massaguer himself joined Eduardo Pérez (C 14-18) in a 0-3 defeat against Brazilians Jean Mashki and Ryan Saldanha (9-11, 7-11, 7-11).
In the next round of the group stage, they were defeated by Colombians David Martínez and Daniel Sanabria, who needed four sets to secure a 3-1 victory (8-11, 11-8, 5-11, 9-11).
Argentinians Lautaro Luzzi and Luciano Khazandjian also defeated Massaguer and Pérez, 3-0 (7-11, 4-8, 5-11).
The other Cuban duo, comprised of Hubert Matos and Mario Alejandro González (C 14-18), was eliminated in the preliminary round after losing all three of their matches. They initially lost to José Vargas and Steven Román (Costa Rica) with identical scores of 4-11, 4-11, and 4-11.
They then put up more resistance against Mexicans Julián Gómez and Jesús Zalazar, but the latter ultimately won 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 11-7).
In their final match, they suffered a defeat against Colombia, relying on Juan Bermúdez and Julián Chichilla, who won comfortably 3-0 (11-1, 11-1, 11-5).
Para athletics competitions begin this Monday at the National Stadium, although the details are currently being finalized at the technical meeting. (Text and photo: JIT)
