International badminton tournament Giraldilla kicks off today in Havana

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 16 (ACN) The 21st edition of the Giraldilla International Badminton Tournament of Havana will begin today in this capital with the contesting of several matches, mostly in the women's and men's singles events.

Hosted at the Ciudad Deportiva coliseum until the 19th, this event returns to the competitive calendar after four years of absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the actions will start with the match between the local Nathaly Alvarez and the Peruvian Rafaela Munar, as well as the host Leyanis Contreras and the Canadian Aarushi Chandel.

According to the program of the event, Diosbel Tamayo will make his debut against Nadeem Dalvi, from England.

For the national pre-selection, some names stand out such as Taymara Oropesa -returning to the main team of the country- Yeyli Ortiz and Contreras, among the women, as well as the men Roberto Carlos Herrera, Juan Carlos Bencomo and Leandro Gil.

This event will be the penultimate opportunity to score points for the world ranking with a view to qualifying for the Pan American Games in Santiago de Chile, Orlando Cala Martinez, national commissioner of the sport, said.

The Giraldilla of Havana will give 1,700 units for the world ranking to the winners in each of its five modalities and more than 30 badminton players representing Canada, Croatia, England, Israel, Peru, Jamaica, Guatemala, Ecuador, the United States, Indonesia and Bulgaria are expected to attend.