By Leandro Olvech
Skip to PART 2 >>A breathtaking scenario for the competition
The first impression when you entered the venue was that it was Paralympic Games level. Ten competition tables perfectly divided in their courts, inside a stadium settled up in an exposition center based only in the exclusive needs of our sport.
The results were showed up on electronic scorers, two per table and in a big screen, making the competition easier to understand for the spectators. The umpire’s level was optimal. And the work of administrative people from CORIO an ITTF PTT brilliant.
Rio 2007 didn’t stop to establish new records, 115 athletes from 15 countries participated in table tennis, up to this time our highest. New nations played for the first time in a ParaPanamerican like Colombia and Uruguay and others for the very first time in any ITTF PTT tournament, like El Salvador and Haiti, the warmest welcome for them!
Wide Winning of Brazil
The competition was led by Brazil with a solid performance in almost all the classes and some such surprises as Claudiomiro Segatto (5), the one who left behind the Argentine candidate Daniel Rodriguez, holder of the title. Luiz Algacir (3), who seemed to take distance from international competitions, clarified that he is still on top and he was the best in his class. Iranildo Espindola (2) retained his title of Pan-American Champion as Carlo Michell (6). In the female’s side, Brazil obtained two boasted gilded medals through Jane Rodrigues. In teams, the host county was also was on top, reaching the podium in all the events and mostly with gold.
Cuba, the return, the revelation
Without any doubts if a team surprised and very much, it was Cuba. Absent in the last edition in Mar del Plata, They returned with a small but powerful delegation that was that major yield Medals / Athletes,
Isbel Trujillo (1) finally achieved his long desired golden Pan-American medal after years of battling with Haylan and Maslup (rip) from Argentina, obtained also silver in teams accompanied by Yunier Izquierdo, a debutante with nice projection. Erich Manso (10) was perhaps the biggest surprise of the tournament on having made debut with an individual gold leaving in the way serious candidates like the Brazilians Almeida and Pinheiro. To close, with the Caribbean team, Yanellis Silva, who had been chosen as the best wheelchair player of Americas in 2001, absent in 2003. She returned in 2007 to confirm, with triple gold (open sea, individual and teams), who is the queen in this category. Taking the scepter that the already retired Cristina Hoffmann from Mexico could have.
USA, high level in standing players
Supporting their habit of winning in standing male classes, Tahl Leibovitz gained everything what proposed to itself, followed by Mitch Seidenfeld(7), double gold in teams and singles.
It is remarkable the appearance of Noga Kistler(5), who eliminated Mexican Maria Paredes in the open event.
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