Golden Brazil at The Pan American Games
- Written by Yavor Dimitrov
The World champions Emanuel Rego and Alison Cerutti wrote another golden page in their beach volley resumes last weekend in Mexico.
Being by far the best duo in 2011, the Brazilians entered the XVI Pan American Games as a super favourite and eventually won the title in Puerto Vallarta - a small coastal Mexican town whose beach arena hosted the entire tournament.
Despite outmatching any opponent in the main bracket, Emanuel-Alison could not enjoy a flawless event. The World champions were stunned early in the Preliminary Pool D by the brave Cubans Gonzalez-Pina in two sets. However, the experience acquired throughout the numerous sunny days spent together in various championships helped the world's top team grab the title. The most spectacular victory they achieved in the semifinals eliminating the host representatives and World Tour participants Aldo Miramontes and Juan Ramon Virgen in three long sets (21-19, 20-22, 15-6). The gold medal match turned out to be a 40-minute affair where the Venezuelans Hernandez-Mussa were defeated by 21-17, 21-12.
"We are really satisfied about playing with the world champions," Hernandez said. "This experience will help us for the South American Championship and the Continental Cup where we will attempt to reach the Olympics."
In the 3rd-place match Miramontes-Virgen could not finish the home tournament with a pair of bronze medals as they lost in three sets (21-14, 19-21, 11-15) versus Etchegaray-Suarez from Argentina.