(by Edgardo Vazquez)
Puerto Rico National and Butterfly América Coach
The Puerto Rican delegation had an outstanding performance at the Pan American Table Tennis Championships, held in Lima, Peru, from August 31 to September 7.
With a harvest of 10 medals – 5 Gold, 1 Silver and 4 Bronze – our team reaffirmed its position as the second power of table tennis in America. This championship brought together the best junior and cadet players from 15 countries, including Brazil, the United States, Canada and Argentina, who competed in a high-level competition. On this occasion, Puerto Rico made history by achieving its highest number of gold medals in a Pan American event, demonstrating the growth and competitive level of our athletes.
Among the most outstanding achievements were the performances of Steven Moreno, who won 3 gold medals in Cadet Men’s Individual (U-15), Cadet Men’s Doubles (U-15) with Enrique Ríos, and in Cadet Men’s Teams (U-15) with Matthew Cao and Sergio Pérez. For her part, Brianna Burgos shone by winning Gold in Junior Women’s Individual (U-19), Gold in Junior Mixed Doubles (U-19) with Oscar Birriel, and a Bronze in Junior Women’s Teams (U-19).
These achievements were added to the Silver medals in Junior Mixed Doubles (U-19) obtained by Yadier López and Edmarie León, as well as the Bronze medals of Enrique Ríos in Cadet Men’s Individual (U-15) and in Cadet Mixed Doubles (U-15), with Valentina Dávila.
A team effort
This result would not have been possible without the collective effort of the athletes and the technical team, made up of coaches Edgardo Vázquez, Carlos Gracia, Francisco González and Alexis Pietri. Months of preparation, intensive training at the Olympic Center and the Utuado TT Club, and the determination of our athletes were key to achieving this success.
In addition, the Puerto Rican Table Tennis Federation has been a fundamental pillar in the development of these young talents. The constant support of the Federation, both in planning and in logistics and emotional support, has allowed our players to compete at the highest level, not only in this championship, but in international tournaments throughout the year.
My experience as a coach
From my position as a national coach, sponsored by Butterfly America, it has been a privilege to guide these young people during this process. Butterfly’s support has been essential to provide the top-level equipment that our athletes need to perform at their best. The quality and support we have received from Butterfly America has been fundamental to keeping us at the forefront of the international competitive scene.
Working daily with these young people, and seeing how they grow both athletically and personally, has been a deeply rewarding experience. Each training session, each competition is another step in their development, and I am convinced that Puerto Rico will continue to reap successes in the future.
I want to thank both the Puerto Rican Table Tennis Federation and Butterfly America for their unconditional support. This combination of efforts has been the key to Puerto Rico being able to continue standing out on the international stage, and I am sure that even more achievements will come ahead.
On behalf of the entire team, thank you for trusting us!
This success belongs to everyone.
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