Mexico’s Virgen and Ontiveros win men’s gold

TOLUCA, Mexico, May 27 2012 — The first Mexican Men’s couple of Juan Virgen and Lombardo Ontiveros won the gold medal at the VI NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit played at this stop after beating Cuba’s Sergio Gonzalez and Karell Piña 2-0 (21-15, 21-19).

In a cloudy and partially rainy day at the State of Mexico University Campus, Virgen and Ontiveros controlled the match in the first set, but Cuba tried to respond on the second.

“We really feel glad for this win, Lombardo is a very good player with good characteristics, and we had a really great chemistry,” said Juan Virgen.

For Ontiveros who arrived as a back-up for Aldo Miramontes there could not be a happier ending.

“Fortunatelly we won the gold medal, Juan and I had previously practiced together, I just love the finals, I feel I was born for this,” Ontiveros said.

On the other side, Cuba’s Karell Piña stated: “it was a great match, our strategy did not work and they played very good, they had lost in Chiapas, and now we lost.”

His partner, Sergio Gonzalez, established: “It was a tough match, they had their tactical plan, we had our but it didn’t work, anyway we keep calm to be ready for the Olympic Qualifier in Mazatlan.”

In the battle for the bronze medal, Roberto Rodríguez and Erick Haddok (PUR-1) defeated David Smith and Skylar del Sol, from USA 2-0 (21-10, 21-0).

The Americans forfeited after an injury suffered by Smith, giving the medal automatically to the Puerto Ricans who had lost previously in the semifinal against Cuba 2-1 (21-19, 26-28, 15-13).

Meanwhile, Mexico-1 had defeated the Americans in the other semifinal 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) in the opening match of the Sunday session.

Men’s Results on Sunday:  Semifinals: MEX-1 d. USA 2-0 (21-16, 21-13), CUB d. PUR-1  2-1 (21-19, 26-28, 15-13). Bronze medal match: PUR-1 d. USA 2-0 (21-10, 21-0). Gold medal match: MEX-1 d. CUB 2-0 (21-15, 21-19)