HAVANA, March 12 – The XXIV International Badminton Giraldilla of Havana commenced this Thursday at the Ciudad Deportiva Coliseum, bringing together 70 athletes from eleven countries for a competition that extends through Sunday. The tournament serves as a crucial qualifying event for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, offering players the opportunity to accrue ranking points and secure their place in the regional games.
Thirty-six of the competing athletes are international players, vying for world ranking points. For athletes from the region, the Giraldilla represents a key step in the qualification process for the Santo Domingo Games. Following this event in the Cuban capital, the Challenger tournaments in Brazil and Havana in March, and the Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru, in April, will complete the qualification pathway.
Cuba, as the host nation, has fielded the largest contingent with 34 players. The Dominican Republic (8 athletes), El Salvador (7), and Venezuela (6) represent the next largest national teams. The United States and Colombia each have three competitors, while Paraguay, Malta, Mexico, and Bulgaria are represented by two athletes each. Portugal is participating with a single player.
The opening day of the tournament, Thursday, featured 43 matches in the individual and mixed doubles events. Leading the charge for the home team, Taymara Oropesa, a bronze medalist at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, advanced to the quarterfinals without difficulty, defeating Gabriela Barrios of El Salvador in straight sets, 21-8 and 21-17.
Oropesa will face Alissa Acosta of the Dominican Republic in Friday’s round. Acosta previously defeated Venezuela’s María de los Ángeles Rojas with scores of 21-12 and 21-18. A victory for Oropesa would significantly bolster her chances of contending for the singles title.
Other notable winners included Colombia’s Juliana Giraldo and Venezuela’s Bárbara Lamas. In the lower bracket, Mexico’s Sara Delgado and Venezuela’s Mariangel García, along with Daniela Acosta of the Dominican Republic and Francesca Clark of Malta, also secured victories.
The most competitive women’s match of the day went to three games, with Acosta ultimately prevailing over Cuba’s Erly Cabrera 21-16, 14-21, and 26-24. Cabrera, despite her excellent physical condition, struggled to control her emotions during a crucial tie at 24, receiving a red card that ultimately led to her defeat.
In the men’s bracket, Roberto Carlos Herrera, Cuba’s top-ranked player, delivered as expected, defeating Ernick Zorrilla of the Dominican Republic 21-11 and 21-9, and then overcoming teammate Juan Carlos Bencomo in a three-game match: 21-10, 10-21, and 21-13.
Iker Herrera, a sub-19 player representing Cuba, defeated Bulgaria’s Denis Marinov 22-20, 16-21, and 21-19, but his momentum was halted by Uriel Canjura of El Salvador, the tournament’s top seed, who won 21-9 and 21-14.
The mixed doubles competition saw three Dominican pairs, two Salvadoran pairs, and one team each from Cuba, Venezuela, and Colombia advance to the quarterfinals. Cuba’s Roberto Carlos Herrera and Taymara Oropesa received a bye in the initial round and advanced due to the non-appearance of their Venezuelan opponents.
Herrera and Oropesa will face Manuel Mejía and Daniela Hernández of El Salvador, who defeated Cuba’s José Labrada and Angely Pita. The program for Friday includes matches in all five modalities, beginning at 9:35 a.m. Local time.
The Giraldilla de Bádminton continues to be a significant event on the international badminton calendar, providing a platform for athletes to compete at a high level and pursue their dreams of representing their nations at the Central American and Caribbean Games. The tournament’s long history and its role in developing the sport within the region underscore its importance to the badminton community.
The stakes are high for players aiming to qualify for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games, and the competition in Havana is sure to be fierce as athletes battle for ranking points and a chance to compete on the regional stage. Fans can follow the tournament’s progress and results as they are released by the Cuban Badminton Federation.
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