El Salvador with a bad start in the Central American Table Tennis Championship – – 2024-04-26 19:49:51

The national teams made up of Cristina Machado, Cecilia Orantes, Gabriela Suárez and Emme Arias, Melvin Muñoz, athletes from our Effort and Glory Program; Edgardo Sánchez, Jaime Galeano and Enzo Leiva began with defeat in the Central American Table Tennis Championship that opened today at the Badminton Coliseum of the El Polvorín Sports Complex.

The women’s team made their debut this afternoon against Guatemala in the team competition and fell 2-3 in the group round. Gabriela Suárez solved her match against Jenny Cux 3-0 with scores of 11-6, 11-6 and 11-8, and put El Salvador ahead 1-0.

However, Emme Arias lost 1-3 to Hidalynn Zapata with scores of 7-11, 9-11, 11-3 and 4-11, leaving the series tied 1-1. Cristina Machado once again overtook the locals in the series after beating Stefanie Orellana 3-2 with sets 6-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9 and 11-6.

Subsequently, Suarez could not beat Zapata, who defeated her 1-3 and allowed Guatemala to tie the series 2-2. In the duel that defined the duel of countries, Arias lost 1-3 against Cux with sets 9-11, 5-11, 11-8 and 14-16.

Despite the defeat, Suárez assured that she is motivated by the contest and hopes that the results will arrive in the coming days. “I feel more motivated because today the tournament is at home, so with all the motivation, energy and positivity to do a good job at home,” she added.

The Salvadoran team’s next match will be against Mexico, tonight. In other results from the female branch. Costa Rica fell 2-3 against the Mexican team.

The Salvadoran men’s team also began its time in Central America with a defeat. The Mexican team beat the national team 3-2.

The first duel was between the Mexican Rogelio Castro and Jaime Galeano. Castro defeated the national team 3-0 with partial scores of 11-4, 11-6 and 11-8. For his part, Salvadoran Edgardo Sánchez beat José Martínez 3-2 with scores of 11-8, 10-12, 6-11, 11-8 and 11-6, matching the series 1-1.

Melvin Muñoz did his thing and won 3-1 against Álvaro Magaña with sets 12-10, 11-7, 5-11 and 11-6. While the Mexican Castro beat Sánchez 3-0 (11-3, 11-7 and 11-4) equaling the series 2-2.

In the last duel, Galeano fell to Martínez 3-2.

In other men’s results, Guatemala beat Honduras 3-1 and Mexico defeated Belize 3-0 in the first duels of the opening day.

Despite the loss to Mexico, Jaime Galeano from Cuscatle, who plays in the first division of table tennis in Spain, stated that El Salvador has a chance of winning the podium in the Central American competition.

“We are very excited that it is taking place here in our country. “I am very focused, it is a Central American where we can get many medals, we have very strong cards from which we hope to make a profit,” he expressed.

The competition, which will take place for six days, grants places for the Major Pan American Championship to also be held on Cuscatleco soil. However, the nationals do not fight for those places, since they correspond to them as organizers.

However, for national athletes this tournament represents the perfect opportunity to practice before their regional counterparts and thus prepare for future commitments.