Havana, Cuba – The Venezuelan badminton team demonstrated significant improvement on the international stage this past weekend, securing two bronze medals at the Giraldilla Tournament 2026 in Havana, Cuba. The results mark a step forward for the program, which reached the quarterfinal stage in the 2025 edition of the tournament.
Mariángel García claimed an individual bronze, while the doubles pairing of Bárbara Lamas and Nazareth Sánchez also secured a bronze medal for Venezuela. The tournament, which awards points towards the universal ranking of the sport, saw a particularly strong performance from the Venezuelan women’s team.
García’s path to the podium began with a bye in the round of 32. She then defeated Daniela Hernández of El Salvador 2-0 (15-21, 21-23) in the round of 16. A convincing 2-0 (15-21, 14-21) victory over Mexico’s Sara Delgado followed in the quarterfinals, propelling her to the semifinal round. Unfortunately, García fell in a closely contested three-set match against Malta’s Francesca Clark, 13-21, 21-14, 15-21. She ultimately shared the third-place position with Colombia’s Juliana Giraldo, who also lost in her semifinal match against Cuba’s Taymara Oropesa.
The gold medal in the women’s singles event was claimed by Cuba’s Taymara Oropesa, who defeated Clark 2-0 (21-7, 21-6) in the final. Clark secured the silver medal.
In the doubles competition, Bárbara Lamas and Lusbeth Sánchez enjoyed an undefeated run through the first two rounds. They overcame Cuban duo Santa Boche and María Torre 2-0 (21-12, 21-9) in the round of 16, and then repeated the result against another Cuban pair, Erly Cabrera and Alina Sanz, with a score of 2-0 (6-21, 14-21).
This performance at the Giraldilla Tournament 2026 highlights the growing strength of Venezuelan badminton and provides valuable ranking points for the athletes as they continue to compete on the international circuit. The team’s success in Havana is a positive sign for the future of the sport in Venezuela.
REINALDO LINARES / CIUDAD CCS
The Giraldilla Tournament is a key event on the badminton calendar, attracting athletes from across the Americas and beyond. The tournament’s increasing competitiveness reflects the growing popularity of the sport in the region. For Venezuelan athletes, the event provides a crucial opportunity to gain experience and improve their world rankings.
Looking ahead, the Venezuelan badminton team will likely focus on preparing for upcoming international competitions, aiming to build on the momentum gained at the Giraldilla Tournament. Further details regarding their schedule and training plans will be released by the Venezuelan Badminton Federation in the coming weeks.
