Falconi ends USA gold drought at Pan American Games

Written by: Staff on 24th October 2011

Falconi ends USA gold drought at Pan American Games

US tennis player Falconi Irina celebrates her victory over Puerto Rican Monica Puig, during the tennis finals of the Guadalajara 2011 Pan American Games at Telcel Center in Zapopan, Mexico, 21 Ocotber 2011. EPA/JESUS ESPINOSA |

Irina Falconi ended a 20-year wait for her country by winning gold in the women’s tennis event at the Pan American Games, which were held in Guadalajara, Mexico, from 17-22 October.

The 21-year-old from Atlanta defeated Monica Puig 63 62 in the final to become the first American woman since Pam Shriver to claim gold at the games. Her countrywoman Christina McHale took bronze in the singles before teaming up with Falconi in the doubles to claim silver. The American pair were defeated 64 26 [10-6] by Argentina’s Maria Irigoyen and Florencia Molinero in the women’s doubles final.

In the men’s tennis event, Robert Farah was a double gold medallist for Colombia. The 24-year-old from Bogota overcame Rogerio Dutra 64 63 to win the men’s singles and then partnered Juan Sebastian Cabal to victory 60 64 against Julio Campozano and Roberto Quiroz later that day.

Mexico’s Ana Paula de la Peña and Santiago Gonzalez combined to win gold for the host nation in the mixed doubles event. They defeated Chile’s Andrea Koch-Benvenuto and Guillermo Rivera 75 64.

The Pan American Games are held every four years in the year immediately prior to the Olympic Games, and tennis has been contested at the Games since the event’s inception in 1951.