Guantanamo.- Cuban Alejandro Martinez will seek today to be among the individual medalists of the Caracas 2025 Table Tennis Youth Contender, which is being held at the Elizabet Popper and Francisco Lopez Gymnasium in the Venezuelan capital.
The Havana native will play this Wednesday against local Jonathan Vegas in the quarterfinals of the main draw of the U-17 category; and he will also play later in the U-15 category.
Alejandro, who is one of those included in the Cuban team that will attend the Asuncion 2025 Pan American Junior Games, secured his place in the draw after finishing second in his group with a win and a loss.
He defeated Venezuela’s Ernesto Sanchez 3-0 and lost 1-3 to local player Jesus Tovar. In the direct eliminations he was eliminated in the round of 32 and then in the round of 32 he defeated India’s Bhaskar Sugra 3-2.
If he manages to achieve a victory that allows him to advance, Alejandro will be in the semifinals this afternoon against the winner of the duel between the Venezuelan Saul Bejar and the Indian Sudhanshu Maini.
The gold medal will be disputed this very night, while on Thursday the groups of the U-15, a category in which the Antillean will also take part, are scheduled to begin.
The Cuban Andy Maqueira, recent winner among the under-15s in the New York Contender, was among those announced to perform in Caracas, but problems with the transfer to the Venezuelan capital prevented him from arriving for the start.
