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SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 16,
2022 – Like Father like Son!
David Vargas, the longtime beach volleyball
player representing El Salvador at multiple
events in NORCECA Tour, is back again showing no
effects from Father Time and ready to compete at
the Santo Domingo Qualification Tournament to
the World Championship.
The only difference is that Pepe, as everyone
knows him in the beach volleyball circles, is
not in the company of Carlos Escobar (a) Tato,
his partner in so many events, but by his son
Gabriel.
At 41 years of age, Pepe still presents the
perennial athletic figure of his early years on
the tour, but he also understands that the time
is getting closer to giving way to a new breed
of Salvadoran players, with his 17 years-old son
Gabo as one of the newcomers.
“It is a dream coming true”, Pepe said in a
recent interview about the chance to compete
alongside his son in an international
competition. "I don’t know if this is the first
time a team made by father and son is playing at
this level. It makes me very proud just the fact
of being able to play together in a world
championship qualifier, just wonderful”.
Pepe, who has participated in one world
championship and four Pan American Games, has
been playing for 23 years now so Gabo
practically grew up near to the sands of the
beach volleyball courts of El Salvador
Volleyball Federation in San Salvador.
“He is a natural lefthander but after seeing me
playing as a righty throughout the years he also
became a righty and right now he is able to hit
the ball harder than me,” Pepe commented.
“I feel happy about playing with my dad in an
international competition”, the young Vargas
said after a recent training session at home.
“It feels pretty good and we get along very well
playing as partners.”
The fans in Santo Domingo will have the chance
to watch Pepe and Gabo playing in Pool A against
the competition of United States (Taylor Crabb/Taylor
Sander) and Guatemala (Andy Leonardo/Luis García).
Regardless of the results, their debut as father
and son team in a world championship qualifier
is already in the books as part of the history
of beach volleyball. |
