Cuban Osleni Guerrero won
silver in the 28th Brazil International Badminton
Cup, which concluded on November 2 in Sao Paulo,
after losing to experienced Swede Henri Hurskainen
in three sets.
His
opponent took no chances and maintained pressure,
winning with a score of 11-6, 11-7 and 11-6, in a
match which lasted 25 minutes. Bronze medals went to
Frenchman Marin Baumann and Israeli Misha Zilberman
in the Challenge category, with Hurskainen earning
4,000 points and Guerrero 3,400.
The two competitors made it to the
final after achieving four consecutive victories
each. Both participated in the Brazil Grand Prix in
August, losing their respective semi-final matches
and sharing third place.
Henri was the competition favorite
given his admirable 38th position in the world
rankings and that this year alone he has competed in
16 tournaments of varying levels, including the
Denmark World Cup, where his Cuban rival was knocked
out in the first round.
This is Osleni’s seventh medal this
season, having won gold in both the Peru Open and
Pan American Badminton Championship, in addition to
the Venezuela International Badminton Tournament
where he reached the highest place on the podium.
53 in the world rankings – last year
he occupied 46th position – he began the
season by winning bronze in both the Giraldilla of
Havana and Brazil Grand Prix, afterwards finishing
fifth and eight in his debut in the Belgium Open,
and most recently winning silver in Brazil, to add
to his medal collection.
During the competition in Sao Paulo,
Osleni defeated Brazilians Matheus Voigt and Alex
Yuwan Tjong, Frenchman Lucas Claerbout and Israeli
Misha Zilberman.
Meanwhile, Hurskainen, top ranked in
the competition, triumphed over Brazilian Luiz Dos
Santos; Belgian Maxime Moreels; Austrian Luka Wraber
and Frenchman Marin Baumann.
Guerrero will travel to Surinam on
November 9, to participate in the country’s
International Badminton Tournament where he will
defend both his crown and the 2,500 points which he
won last year after defeating Czech Jan Frohlich.
Surinam will be the precursor to
Osleni’s debut in the Central American and Caribbean
Games, in Veracruz, Mexico, where he will contend
for the Individual title and another medal in the
Doubles. (Jit)
