The Salvadoran beat the Brazilian Oliveira by 21-19 and 21-18 and got into the semifinals of individual badminton. Qualified to mixed semis by default.
The good news continues for the Salvadorans in the Cali-Valle 2021 Junior Pan American Games: Uriel Canjura beat the Brazilian Oliveira by 21-19 and 21-18 and got into the semifinals of badminton, he assures at least a bronze medal.
Uriel had a very difficult game, because he had to come back in the first set and when he won the victory, tears of emotion came to him.
“I knew it was going to be a very tight match, I had already played a few times with the Brazilian, I knew he ran everything, but thank God he gave me everything and hopefully I can reach the final. In the first set I was losing 11-5 but I knew it was just an opportunity and I had to get my strength ”, said Uriel.
Salvadoran Uriel Canjura made history in badminton in Spain
Uriel Canjura speaks excitedly after securing at least bronze in badminton. #TeamESA #calivalle2021 pic.twitter.com/99sVRp1kBw
– ESA Olympic Committee (@TeamESA_) November 28, 2021
After this victory, Uriel realized that there is a guaranteed double bronze for badminton in El Salvador, since the Canjura-Centeno duo advanced to semis in a mixed double by default: one of the rival players (Aruba) was injured. Both semis are tonight.
“I am very happy, this is very important for the whole country and I am a little physically destroyed, but the news that we classified the semis as mixed by default will help me recover for the afternoon and I will fight with everything.” “It was very important to secure a medal, I am very happy. Physically, I couldn’t take it anymore, that’s why I didn’t want to reach a third set ”, concluded Uriel.
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