Euskadi secured two more gold medals at the 36-meter fronton in Buenos Aires, bringing its tournament total to four gold titles as the Basque selection continued its strong campaign across multiple disciplines.
Lizeaga and Elorz Outlast Spain in Tight Pairs Final
The third gold medal for the Basque selection—and the first claimed during Friday’s matches—came in the pairs competition, where Lizeaga and Elorz defeated Spain’s Canabal and Apeztegia 10-9 in a hard-fought deciding set. The Basque duo faced an early 0-4 deficit after unforced errors from Astigarraga’s representative. However, the dominance of Zaratamo back-court player Elorz turned the momentum around, allowing his partner to settle in and secure a 10-3 partial run. After a tied second set and late-stage mistakes that forced a third tiebreaker frame, Elorz maintained control to edge out the narrow victory.
Erkiaga Claims Cesta Punta Title Against Olharan
Aritz Erkiaga captured the remaining title he needed at the Buenos Aires World Championship by defeating France’s Jean Olharan 15-12, 15-7 in the men’s individual cesta punta final. Facing an opponent who was forced to retire from his previous match due to a knee injury, the Ispaster native relied on precise fronton management. After a tightly contested opening set where the French player pushed to an 11-12 advantage, Erkiaga accelerated to close out the game. The second set proved more straightforward after Olharan took early risks on his serve that misfired, allowing the Basque puntista to pull away comfortably.
Fernandez Dominates Opening Hand Individual Match
Rioja’s Jorge Fernandez claimed a swift victory in the men’s individual hand match against the Basque representatives, finishing the contest in approximately half an hour. Facing guipuzcoano Irribarria initially, Fernandez established an 8-0 lead that prompted Basque coach Iraitz Olaetxea to substitute vizcaíno Carregal into the lineup. The change failed to alter the trajectory as Fernandez capitalized on a fresh right hand and accurate serves to shut out the first game entirely and secure the second 10-4.
Mugartegi Defeats Barrenetxea in Cesta Punta Final
Erika Mugartegi secured a tournament double for Spain by adding the individual cesta punta crown to her earlier pairs gold with Arai. She overcame a resilient challenge from Helena Barrenetxea, who applied pressure through aggressive court movement and a two-wall shot from the eighth square. Mugartegi held off her opponent in a tense finish, closing out the opening set 15-11 and grinding through a 15-14 scoreline in the second set to claim the title.
Ardanaz Halts Nagore Martin’s Comeback Bid
Navarra’s Maider Ardanaz fended off a late surge from alavesa Nagore Martin to win the women’s hand match 15-10, 15-13. After dominating the first set with deep serves and two-wall finishes, Ardanaz built a 13-4 lead in the second frame. Martin responded with a determined run that narrowed the deficit to 14-13 before Ardanaz secured the final point to close out the match.
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