Cubans swept the gold in Beach Volley at Cartagena

CARTAGENA, Colombia, July 23, 2006.- Cuba relied on its experience and unquestionable talent to sweep the gold medals in both genders in the Beach Volleyball Tournament of the XX Central American and Caribbean Games.

Tamara Larrea-Dalixia Fernandez and Francisco Alvarez-Wilfredo Villa, currently taking part of the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour, posted comfortable wins in route to the gold. Larrea-Fernandez triumphed in the women’s event over Mexicans Vanesa Virgen-Martha Revuelta by score of 21-14, 21-19, and Alvarez-Villa won the men’s competition over Venezuelans Jackson Henriquez-Igor Hernandez by 21-13, 21-15.

In the semi finals on Sunday morning the two Cubans teams advanced while defeating their Puerto Ricans opponents. Larrea-Fernandez defeated Lyann Puig-Yamileska Yantin by 21-18, 21-9, and Alvarez-Villa beat Raul Papaleo-Joseph Gil by 21-18, 21-19.

Meanwhile, Virgen-Revuelta defeated Venezuelans Frankelina Rodriguez-Alejandra Garcia 21-18, 21-9 and Henriquez-Hernandez won over Mexicans Ulises and Lombardo Ontiveros by score of 21.-17, 16-21, 15-11.

In the matches for the bronze medals, Venezuelans Rodriguez-Garcia beat Puig-Yantin 21-16, 21-19, and the Ontiveros brothers clashed and beat  Papaleo-Gil in a sensational encounter  by score of 20-22, 21-16, 15-13.

In two early matches for the fifth positions, Colombians sisters Andrea and Claudia Galindo beat Dominicans Margarita Suero-Rosa Medrano 20-22, 21-17, 17-15 and Costa Ricans Marcelo Arraya-Jonathan Guevara beat Colombians Wilfredo Barrios-Herney Saldarriaga by 15-21, 21-16, 15-12.