Spanish badminton has achieved a new silver medal for the Spanish delegation at the Mediterranean Games in Oran 2022, after the couple formed by Pablo Abián and Kike Peñalver have been proclaimed runner-up in men’s doubles. The tandem of the Aragonese and the Toledo has signed a great final but could not defeat the locals Mammeri and Medel (21-14, 19-21 and 16-21).
How do you publish the web from Spanish Federation, The game began with some first scoring points, but shortly after Abián and Peñalver took advantage of their individual quality to take control of the match. Thanks to this they have not taken long to achieve a slight advantage on the scoreboard that has allowed them to reach the interval ahead. After this break the Spaniards have not slowed down and have managed to sentence the first set by 21-14.
The script has radically changed in the second race, after the reaction of the Algerians, who are 61st in the world ranking. Also, The desire of the Spaniards to sentence the match has resulted in a certain haste that Mammeri and Medel have taken advantage of. That is why, after some very even points, the Africans have managed to take the lead and go into the break with an advantage. The Spaniards have not lowered their arms and have remained close to the Algerians on the scoreboard, but the Algerians’ greatest success and two refereeing decisions that the Spaniards did not like have ended up decanting the second game in favor of Mammeri and Medel (19-21).
The situation has given wings to the local players, who have taken advantage of the dynamic to continue taking the initiative and open a gap on the scoreboard. The Spaniards have not lowered their arms and have shortened distances from 10-5 to 11-9 with which they have finally reached the break, but things have been getting complicated for Abián and Peñalver, since the Africans were hardly making any unforced errors and the passing of the points left the Spaniards with no room for manoeuvre. Finally, and despite the great effort of the Spanish, there has been no comeback and the gold has stayed at home.
Be that as it may, it ends a great competition for Abián and Peñalver, who do not usually play together and have still won the silver medal. This is Pablo Abián’s third Mediterranean medal. And it is that the Bilbilitan conquered the silver in Mersin 2013 and won the gold in Tarragona 2018. On the other hand, this is the first podium in this competition for Peñalver.
This Tuesday the individual tests will start, where it stands out that Abián defends the gold won in Tarragona. Kike Peñalver also competes in these tests and, of course, the national volantistas Bea Corrales and Ania Setién, who will surely want to get even after falling in the quarterfinals of the doubles test.
