Tuesday, October 24, 2023.- Mexican athlete Paola Longoria reaffirmed her status in Santiago 2023 by winning her tenth Pan American gold medal in the female singles racquetball competition.

In the final, held at the Centro Deportivo Las Raquetas at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Longoria defeated her compatriot Montserrat Mejía, who is ranked as the world's number one, with scores of 11-9, 11-8, and 11-3.

Given Mejía's level, a more closely contested match was expected, but Longoria capitalized on her extensive Pan American experience to secure her fourth consecutive gold in the singles event, adding to her victories in Guadalajara 2011, Toronto 2015, and Lima 2019.

In those previous events, she also claimed the gold medal in both doubles and team competitions, bringing her total to 10 gold medals.

In Santiago, Longoria did not compete in female doubles but participated in mixed doubles, where she, alongside Alejandro Portillo, reached the semifinals but settled for a bronze medal. She will be competing in the team event on Wednesday, with the final scheduled for Thursday.

Montserrat Mejía, on the other hand, adds this silver medal to the bronze she earned in female's doubles, where she and her partner, Alexandra Herrera, were defeated by the Argentine duo of Natalia Méndez and María José Vargas in the semifinals. She will also be participating in the team competition.

Written by Alejandro Pérez-Alex Savoy; translated by Vicente Valdivia - Pia Barriga / Photosport
Photo: Felipe Quintana / Santiago 2023 via Photosport