Lima 2018: Seven-sational Peru!

Peruvian players shone on home soil in Lima, while Brazil led the medals table at the Para Badminton Pan American Championships, between 8 and 11 November. The hosts celebrated seven gold, four silver and four bronze medals at the continental event, while Pilar Jauregui left as the most decorated player with three titles.

The Lima 2019 Parapan Ams Ambassador won the women’s singles H 1/2 after beating Yuka Chokyu 21-9, 21-9 in the final. Jauregui then joined forces with the Canadian to take the women’s singles H 1/2 crown. She also won the mixed doubles H 1/2 together with Brazilian player Rodolfo Cano.

World No.1 Giuliana Poveda beat USA’s Katherine Valli 21-13, 21-6 in the women’s singles SS 6 final to add another gold to Peru’s haul. She also won the women’s doubles and took silver in the mixed doubles alongside compatriot Jesus Salva Tunque.

Pedro Pablo de Vinatea was another Peruvian player who stood out, taking gold in the men’s singles SL 3 thanks to a 21-13, 21-12 victory over Brazilian Leonarzo Zuffo in the final. De Vinatea went on to claim silver in the men’s doubles together with compatriot Renzo Bances.

Peru’s seventh gold medal was won by Milagros Fernandez Vargas, with Brazilian Vitor Goncalves Tavares, in the mixed doubles SS 6.

Brazil top the table

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games hosts ended with a staggering 13 golds, nine silvers and 20 bronze.

Vitor Goncalves Tavares was the standout player, sweeping all his three events. He defeated USA’s Miles Krajewski 21-13, 21-13 in the men’s singles SS 6 final to win his first gold. Tavares followed that up with golds in the men’s and mixed doubles as well.

Marcelo Alves was another top player competing on Peruvian soil. He took the men’s singles WH 1 title after beating Rodolfo Cano 21-12, 21-14 in an all-Brazilian final. Alves also won the men’s doubles WH 1/2 but could ‘only’ capture silver in the mixed doubles.

In a hard-fought women’s singles SL 3-SU 5 final, Cintya Oliveira beat Olivia Meier 14-21, 21-18, 21-16 to add another title for Brazil. She also topped the podium in the women’s doubles together with compatriot Abinaecia Maria da Silva.

Guatemala celebrate

Raul Anguiano showed once again why he is one of the world’s best players in the men’s SL 4 by winning the singles competition following a 21-14, 21-10 victory over Canadian Pascal Lapointe in the final.

The Guatemalan took silver as well alongside Lapointe in the doubles event.

Full results are available on the BWF website.