Paraguay’s own Fiorella Gatti was crowned champion today after defeating Brazil’s Laura Silva in the women’s squash final at the Secretaría Nacional de Deportes (SND), cheered on by a packed crowd that never stopped chanting her name.
The victory came in straight sets, earning the Guaraní star the host nation’s second gold medal of the competition, following the earlier triumph in women’s rowing.
From the very first game, Gatti displayed precision and control, securing the opener 11-8. In the second, and most hard-fought, game, she saved multiple set points before edging it 17-15. With steely composure in the third, she sealed the win 14-12, underlining her class and dominance.
In the men’s event, Colombia’s Juan José Torres claimed gold after defeating Argentina’s Segundo Portabales 3-1, with scores of 11-7, 11-5, 6-11, and 11-3. Just when it seemed the match might end in straight sets like the women’s final, the Argentine fought back to take the third. But in the fourth, the Colombian, hailing from the land of coffee, wrestled back control and closed out the match decisively.
With this result, Paraguay celebrates a historic gold courtesy of Fiorella Gatti, who cements herself as one of the rising stars of continental squash and fuels the nation’s hopes for more medals in these Games. Colombia, meanwhile, bags its ninth gold, edging closer to the overall medal podium.
