Canada's Hollie Naughton Wins Gold at Pan-Am Juniors by Danny Da Costa Belo Horizonte, Brazil (June 20, 2013)
– Hollie Naughton of Oakville, Ontario won the gold medal in girls’
singles at the 2013 Pan-American Junior Squash Championships in
Belo Horizonte, Brazil on Wednesday. The win caps a remarkable season
for Naughton which also saw her crowned as the Canadian Junior
Champion.
Seeded 5th/8th at the Pan-Am championships, Naughton’s tournament run
included impressive victories over the three highest seeded players in
the draw. After straight games victories in the first two rounds,
Naughton defeated 3rd/4th seed Laura Casallas of Colombia 11-1, 11-2,
13-11 in the quarter-finals, 2nd seeded Maria Fernanda Rivera of Mexico
in a bruising five game victory in the semis (12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 6-11,
11-4), and took home the gold with a convincing four set win over top
seed Laura Tovar of Colombia in the finals (11-9, 11-9, 8-11,
11-6).
Naughton’s gold medal continues an impressive run for Canada in the
girls’ singles event of the Championships. Since 2003, Canada has won 6
medals in girls’ singles including additional gold medals by Jennifer
Pelletier in 2010 and Samantha Cornett in 2008.
Canada has a chance at winning a 2nd gold medal at the Championships
tonight, as the Canadian girls’ doubles team of Chloe Chemtob and
Evelyn Moorhouse are in the finals against the home town
Brazilian team of Giulia Baldissera and Renata Furletti. A win would
give Canada its first gold medal in girls’ doubles at the Pan-Am
Championships.
About the Pan-American Junior Squash Championships
The Pan-American Championships serve as a compliment to the quadrennial
Pan-American Games, with the Pan-Am Championships being held during the
three years of the four year cycle when the Pan-Am Games are not being
contested. The Pan-American Junior Squash Championships are open to
under-19 squash players in North and South America with athletes
competing for medals in boys’ and girls’ singles, boys’ and girls’
doubles, mixed doubles, and teams.
