Guardado twins of El Salvador top pool A in triple tie

SANTA MARTA, Colombia, November 24, 2022.- Twin brothers Cristopher and Yoel Guardado of El Salvador topped pool A in a triple tie over Colombia and Costa Rica at the I Central and Caribbean Games of Sea and Beach in Santa Marta.

All three teams, El Salvador, Colombia and Costa Rica completed pool-play with a 2-1 win-loss record, but Cristopher and Yoel held higher point ratio (1.16) to finish first place, followed by Colombians Juan Noriega and Yefferson De La Hoz (1.15), and Crifforth Lobo alongside José Pablo Fernández of Costa Rica (1.08).

The Guardado duo started the day defeating Lobo/Fernández of Costa Rica 2-0 (21-17, 21-13) followed by a 2-0 (21-12, 21-16) over Asmond Franklyn and Enrico Louraine of St. Vincent and the Granadines.

Noriega and De La Hoz also prevailed against Franklyn/Louraine of St. Vincent 2-0 (21-11, 21-17), but Lobo/Fernández of Costa Rica surprised defeating them with smart moves and a great blocking defense 2-0 (21-18, 21-15).

Dominicans Hayerling De Jesús and Oscar Martínez had a busy day, recovering from falling in the first set to its both opponents to top pool B. De Jesús and Martínez first beat Puerto Ricans Franco Roark and Lorenzo Rivera 2-1 (20-22, 21-13, 15-8), and then prevailing 2-1 (14-21, 21-14, 15-10) against Juliangel Vargas and Willian Pérez of Venezuela.

Nicaraguans tandem of Cristopher and Jefferson Cascante finished first in pool C with a 2-0 (21-10, 21-4) victory to Andreas Bump and William Shaw of the U.S. Virgin Islands and 2-0 (21-11, 21-13) against Dimanche Elsevijf and Timothy Van Henneigen of Curacao.

Second in pool C, Joshua Persaud and Nicholas Williams of Trinidad and Tobago beat Bump/Shaw 2-0 (21-10, 21-17).

In pool D, Luis Alayo and Noslen Díaz of Cuba remained strong taking down Clarique Ward/Zendal Richards of St. Kitts and Nevis 2-0 (21-6, 21-4) and Lorenzo Jn Pierre and Rio Jaden Victor of St. Lucia 2-0 (21-6, 21-4).

On the other hand, Alexis Galicia and Isaías Aguirre of Mexico had no difficulties in finishing second in pool D defeating Jn Pierre/Victor of St. Lucia 2-0 (21-13, 21-7); and Ward/Richards of St. Kitts and Nevis 2-0 (21-6, 21-11).

Friday’s single elimination round starts at 10:30 am with Trinidad and Tobago against St. Lucia, followed by Curacao vs. Venezuela, Puerto Rico facing Colombia and Mexico against Costa Rica.

Men’s Results Thursday

POOL A ESA d CRC 2-0 (21-17, 21-13); COL d VIN 2-0 (21-11, 21-17); CRC d COL 2-0 (21-18, 21-15); ESA d VIN 2-0 (21-12, 21-16)

POOL B DOM v PUR 2-1 (20-22, 21-13, 15-8); DOM d VEN 2-1 (14-21, 21-14, 15-10)

POOL C NCA d ISV 2-0 (21-10, 21-4); NCA d CUR 2-0 (21-11, 21-13); TTO d ISV 2-0 (21-10, 21-17)

POOL D CUB d SKN 2-0 (21-6, 21-4); MEX d LCA 2-0 (21-13, 21-7); CUB d LCA 2-0 (21-6, 21-8); MEX d SKN 2-0 (21-6, 21-11)