Pan American Games
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: August 5-10, 2003

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MEDIA ADVISORY! ... Contact the U.S. Racquetball Association Media/Public Relations Department for more details. Office tel: 719/635-5396, x126; Fax: 719-635-0685. Also: U.S. Olympic Committee athlete/sport reports.

"Yesterday [July 22] we had the inauguration of the new Racquetball Complex in Santo Domingo, with the assistance of President Hipolito Mejia to cut the ribbon. As we entered the racquetball complex I gave a shirt from our National Racquetball team, and two racquets with balls. After giving him a brief explanation on the construction and competition areas, we came into the main court and the President and myself played a little bit. During this time I explained the purpose of the game, which the president seemed to enjoy and promised that in the future he will come back to play. Enclosed please find some of the pictures during the inauguration." 

	Click on any frame for a larger view...

Racquetball is set to begin its Pan American Games competition on Tuesday, August 5, at the Pabellon De Racquetbol in the Central Olympic Complex. Having not yet achieved Olympic status, the Pan American Games are the pinnacle of international competition for racquetball.

Each qualifying country is allotted two singles players and one doubles team in both men’s and women’s competition. The tournament begins with round robin action to determine seedings from August 5-7. Players are then seeded accordingly for the single elimination medal rounds to take place August 8-10.

The U.S. has totally dominated the competition in the past at the Pan American games by winning gold in every discipline offered. However, the world has been catching up with the U.S. over the past four years, particularly Canada and Mexico, making this Pan Am’s the toughest yet for Team U.S.A. Still, they are the favorites to once again sweep.

The Men’s Team ... Jack Huczek (Rochester Hills, Mich.) and Rocky Carson (Mission Viejo, Calif.) will compete for the U.S. in singles competition. They are the top two favorites heading into the tournament, although it may not be clear as to which of them has an edge in brining home gold. Huczek is the reigning International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World singles champion, but was defeated this past May by Carson in the finals of the U.S. National Singles Championships in a thrilling 11-10 tiebreaker. Their main competition, aside from each other, will come from Canadian Mike Green (Burlington, Ontario).

The U.S. men’s doubles team is truly a veteran team made up from 33-year-old Mike Guidry (Carrollton, Texas) and 52-year-old Ruben Gonzalez (Staten Island, N.Y.). They have teamed up to win three of the last four USRA National Doubles Championships (2002, 2001, 1999) and back-to-back Pan American Racquetball Confederation (PARC) Tournament of the Americas doubles gold medals (2003, 2002). They will be tested, however, in Santo Domingo, mainly by the Mexican team of Alvaro Beltran (Tijuana) and Javier Moreno (Chihuahua), two of Mexico’s best players that have been paired together for the Pan American Games.

The Women’s Team ... Cheryl Gudinas (Lisle, Ill.) is simply the most dominating player in women’s racquetball. Not only is she the defending Pan American Games champion, but she has won back-to-back IRF World singles titles (2002, 2000) and five consecutive U.S. National Singles title (1999-2003). Joining Gudinas in singles competition is Laura Fenton (Overland Park, Kan.). Fenton has finished second to Gudinas at the U.S. National singles championships for the past two years, but managed to defeat her in the finals of the 2003 PARC Tournament of the Americas.

If there was ever a sure bet for gold at the Pan American Games it would be the doubles tandem of Jackie Rice (Ramona, Calif.) and Kim Russell (Austin, Texas). Since pairing together for the 2002 IRF World Championships, the two haven’t lost a game, let alone a match. Rice already owns two Pan American gold medals (1999, 1995) and is considered the best female doubles player of all time. Russell has won two IRF World doubles titles (2002, 2000) and three PARC Tournament of the Americas titles (2003, 1992, 1991). Mexico has countered by placing Suzy Acosta (Chihuahua) and Rosy Torres (Rosarito Beach) together with the hopes of an upset.

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