Havana, March 8 (RHC) – With one title and three silver medals on the final day, the Cubans said goodbye to the First International Youth Badminton Tournament Havana 2026, which concluded this Sunday at the Ciudad Deportiva Coliseum.
Iker Herrera and Carlos Vega won the gold medal in men’s doubles, defeating their compatriots Alberto Lazo and Oscar Montano with scores of 21-12 and 24-22 in 29 minutes.
In women’s doubles, the host nation’s Leonor Alvisa and Thalia Roque took the silver medal after losing 21-7 and 21-6 to Paraguayan twins Paula and Sofía Rodas.
With international experience and just 16 years old, the sisters, along with their coach, Brazilian Bianca Lima, expressed their joy at achieving their first victories in Cuba.
Not only as a pair, they also caused a sensation by achieving a one-two finish in singles, with Sofía winning the final 21-9 and 21-7, although Paula also enjoyed the victory as if it were her own.
The third silver medal for the local players came in mixed doubles, courtesy of Iker and Thalía, both under-19 years old but members of the senior national team since 2023 and 2025, respectively, and participants in the traditional Giraldilla tournament in Havana.
They faced Colombians Jerónimo Giraldo and Juliana Castaño for the gold medal, ultimately winning 21-8 and 21-17 in 22 minutes after a lively second set.
The only European in this newly created competition, Bulgarian Teodor Mitev, took the men’s singles title, defeating Colombian Giraldo, who resisted the tall and fast opponent. The match ended in 37 minutes of play, with scores of 21-16 and 21-18.
The hosts also accumulated nine bronze medals thanks to their strong presence in the competition across all five disciplines, taking full advantage of their home-field advantage. Colombia won one medal of each color, while Honduras failed to secure a place in the medal count.
“This international competition with the four participating countries has been positive, as it allows us to evaluate the young athletes we have in reserve in the provinces, primarily at the EIDE (Schools for Sports Initiation), and the two—Iker and Thalia—who are on the national team,” commented Orlando Cala, the national commissioner.
He noted that this event served as a prelude to the badminton circuit in the Cuban capital, as the 24th edition of the Giraldilla de La Habana tournament will take place from March 12 to 15, with the participation of some 40 players from 12 nations.
While the tournament that concluded today for players under 19 years of age awarded points for the world ranking in this category, the Giraldilla will award points for the senior world ranking, and will also serve as a qualifier for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo.
