Mexico Excels At Pan Am Juniors In Paraguay

Mexico claimed the lion's share of the gold medals in the 2017 Pan American Junior Squash Championships - in all cases winning against expectations at Club Internacional de Tenis in the Paraguay capital Asuncion.

Second-seeded Mexicans Leonel Cardenas and Dina Anguiano Gomez brushed aside all opposition in the men's and women's individual U19 championships, respectively: 17-year-old Cardenas overcoming Colombian Matias Knudsen 11-6, 9-11, 11-2, 11-8 in the men's final, whilst in the other final Gomez recovered from a game down to upset US favourite Sumrin Mudgil 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5.

Gomez, aged just 15, was again in winning form against her 18-year-old US rival in the Women's Team Championship final - leading Mexico to a 2/1 victory over top seeds USA.

Mexico also outplayed the top seeds in the Men's Team Championship final - upsetting Colombia 2/1 to claim the fourth gold in the week.

However, there was double success for Colombia in the Doubles championships - Colombian pair Matias Knudsen & Ronald Palomino claiming gold in the Men's event and compatriots Sophia Giraldo & Maria Tovar Perez prevailing in the Women's event.

Ecuador bagged the Mixed Doubles gold medal when Maria Paula Moya & David Costales upset top-seeded Mexican duo Miriam Alejandra Ortiz Rubio & Carlos Alejandro Ayala Jauregui in the final.

After the region's major annual junior event drew to a close with the Team championship finals, Paraguayan Tournament Director Esteban Casarino said: "They were probably one of the best finals to date for the Panam Juniors - all three matches of both finals were the perfect end to a great week.

"The weather was great, the atmosphere among players was fantastic, brutal fights but fair all the time, the squash community in Asuncion is very, very, thankful!"