Pan American Championships
WINNIPEG, March 31, 2024 – Canada has added a bronze medal to the three silver medals won earlier in the week at the Pan American Championships held in Guatemala City, Guatemala from March 22 to 30.
The bronze medal was earned in the Men’s Team Competition by athletes Kurtis Cullen (Brandon) Coby Iwaasa (Lethbridge) and Samuel Murray (Baie-Comeau). The team left everything on the court in Friday’s semi-final against Mexico but fell just short of moving onto the final. Team Mexico were the eventual winners of the men’s competition.
In the first stage of the tournament that wrapped up on Thursday, Murray won silver in men’s singles. He also won silver in men’s doubles with partner Coby Iwaasa. Iwaasa teamed up with Juliette Parent (Saint-Jacques) to win silver in mixed doubles.
Canada was also awarded 4th place for combined men’s and women’s team points.
Team Canada is not only coming home with four medals, but newer athletes also gained valuable international experience. In singles play Juliette Parent and Danielle Ramsay of Saskatoon upset higher seeds. Ramsay also came close to knocking out two top-seeded players, forcing both to closely contested tiebreakers. Kurtis Cullen of Brandon had a strong performance in men’s singles pushing his round of 16 match to a tiebreaker. Marjolaine Parent, of Saint-Jacques, had a chance to test her skills at the elite international level for the first time and had some solid play in women’s doubles.
Looking ahead, upcoming major events for national team athletes include the National Championships in May and the World Championships in August.
Recorded matches can be found on the International Racquetball Federation’s Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.
Click here for complete draws and results.