Central American and Mexico Junior Championships
August 9, 2006

Courtesy ITTF The Central American and Mexico Junior Championships in Progreso, Guatemala has not been filled with success for Costa Rica. They finished in fifth place in both the Boys’ and Girls’ Team events but on the morning of Monday, August 7, 2006 they found a star. Step forward eighteen-year-old Melissa Nuñez from Pérez Zeledón in the south of Costa Rica, some hundred thirty kilometers from the country’s capital, San José; a table tennis player since the age of thirteen she has just finished school and in March starts an Engineering Course at university.

In Progreso, she gave one of the best performances of her career; she finished in first place in her group and thus qualified for the second stage of the Girls’ Singles event.

Intelligent
"She’s very intelligent", said Fernando Aguilar who is the Costa Rican coach on duty in Progreso and was the referee at the recent Central American and Caribbean Games in Cartagena da Indias. "Also, she’s committed to the game", he continued. "I’m really pleased with how she played today; she showed a great deal of courage."

Impressive
Also impressive in the group stage of the Girls’ Singles event was Guatemala’s Andrea Estrada; she finished in first place in her group with a series of impressive performances.

"Veronica Ramos from El Salvador was the player to cause me the most problems", said Andrea Estrada. "I started well but then the match got complicated, it became harder and harder and I felt under pressure." Nevertheless, Andrea Estrada prevailed. "I didn’t play my best today", she continued. "However, in the other matches I felt more confident, more sure of myself."

She won the group and coach, Jose Hernandez, was pleased with her efforts. "Andrea is explosive", he said. "She’s fast, and she attacks quickly."

Motivated
Also, in good form for Guatemala was Alfredo Gatica, in the Boys’ Singles event he finished in second spot in his group. "I lost to Pedro Lucan, I went ahead then he fought back and I became tentative", said Alfredo Gatica. "After that I knew I couldn’t afford another defeat, so I was really motivated."

Gatica, to his credit, put the reverse out of his mind and duly secured second spot to move to the next stage.

Mexico
Losing to eighteen-year-old Pedro Lujan was no disgrace, he was the one player to present Josue Donado with problems in the Boys’ Team event and in the group stage of the Boys’ Singles event he was impressive.

"He played intelligently and at the critical stages he fought really hard", said Rafael Galeana. "Also, Carolina Martinez played well today; she finished in first place in her group, she combined good techniques with a positive attitude; she kept her nerve at crucial stages."

Mario Martinez
Successes for Guatemala and Mexico while for El Salvador Josue Donado remained a class apart with his colleague, seventeen-year-old Mario Martinez, the El Salvadorian to catch the eye. "He fought hard this morning and he is talented", said coach, Carlos Lovo. "He’s a good person to have in your team, always friendly, he gets along with everyone."

Martinez did display a good attitude and he finished in first place in his group, once again underling the fact that in Central America, it is El Salvador who lead the way in junior table tennis. In Progreso, they have excelled.