Canada, Cuba and Mexican Duos Advance Strongly

Toward the Podium in Ciudad Madero

CIUDAD MADERO, Tamaulipas, May 23, 2026.- Canada’s Rouzbeh Rahnavard and Robert Kemp, Cuba’s Damián Gómez and Elbis Veranes, along with the Mexican duos Carlos Andrés Ayala/Inés Antonio Vargas Lares and Jorman Osuna/Miguel Sarabia, secured their spots in the men’s semifinals of the fourth stop of the 2026 NORCECA Tour in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas, remaining in contention for the tournament medals.

The semifinals will feature Cuba’s Gómez/Veranes against Canada’s Rahnavard/Kemp, while the Mexican duos Carlos Andrés/Lares and Osuna/Sarabia will face each other in an all-Mexican showdown for a place in the final. Sunday’s action will begin at 8:30 a.m.

The Cuban pair Gómez/Veranes advanced after defeating Nicaragua’s Mora/Cascante 2-0 (21-19, 21-17), while Mexico’s Carlos Andrés/Lares swept the Dominican Republic’s De Jesús/Martínez 21-10 and 21-17.

Osuna/Sarabia played one of the closest matches of the quarterfinal round, edging Puerto Rico’s Encarnación/Rivera 2-1 with scores of 23-25, 22-20 and 15-13. Meanwhile, Canada’s Rahnavard/Kemp defeated Guatemala’s Maldonado/Izaguirre 2-0 (21-11, 21-14).

Earlier in pool-play, Osuna/Sarabia defeated Guatemala’s Maldonado/Izaguirre 2-0; Nicaragua’s Mora/Cascante overcame the United States’ Lotman/Miller; and Carlos Andrés/Lares dominated Bermuda’s Barnett/Cooke with identical 21-6 set scores.

In the ninth-to-twelfth place classification matches, El Salvador’s Guardado C./Guardado Y. defeated the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Brown/Turner 2-0 with scores of 21-4 and 21-9.

The final day of competition on Sunday will determine the champions of the fourth stop of the 2026 NORCECA Tour.

RESULTS DAY 2

QUARTERFINALS

Gomez/Veranes (CUB) 2-0 Mora/Cascante (NCA) (21-19/21-17); Carlos Andres/Lares (MEX) 2-0 De Jesus/Martinez (DOM) (21-10/21-17); Osuna/Sarabia (MEX) 2-1 Encarnacion/Rivera (PUR) (23-25/22-20/15-13); Rahnavard/Kemp (CAN) 2-0 Maldonado/Izaguirre (GUA) (21-11/21-14)

CLASIFICATION POS. 9/12

C9/12: Guardado C./Guardado Y. (ESA) 2-0 Brown/Turner (ISV) (21-4/21-9)

POOL PLAY

POOL A: Osuna/Sarabia (MEX) 2-0 Maldonado/Izaguirre (GUA) (21-16/21-16); POOL D: Mora/Cascante (NCA) 2-0 Lotman/Miller (USA) (21-16/22-20); Carlos Andrés/Lares (MEX) 2-0 Barnett/Cooke (BER) (21-06/21-06)

POOL PHASE FINAL RANKING

POOL A: 1. Osuna/Sarabia (MEX1); 2. ⁠Maldonado/Izaguirre (GUA); 3. ⁠Brown/Turner (ISV); 4. ⁠Bye; POOL B: 1. Gómez/Veranez (CUB); 2. ⁠De Jesús/ Martinez (DOM); 3. ⁠Araya/Grant (CRC); 4. ⁠Bye; POOL C: 1. Rahnavard/Kemp (CAN); 2. ⁠Encarnacion/Rivera (PUR); 3. ⁠Guardado C/Guardado Y (ESA); 4. ⁠Bye; POOL D: 1. Carlos Andrés/Lares (MEX2); 2. ⁠Mora/Cascante (NCA); 3. ⁠Lotman/Miller (USA); 4. ⁠Barnett/Cooke (BER)