Andy Pereira: “I wanted to close with a flourish”

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, Jun 27 (ACN) “I wanted to close these Central American and Caribbean Games on a high note,” said table tennis player Andy Pereira, whose gold medal in the men's singles placed Cuba first by countries in this sport.

“I knew I had a very difficult opponent, so I gave it all I got,” Pereira remarked in reference to his 4-1 win over the Puerto Rican Brian Afanador. “Our men’s team lost the final against Puerto Rico, so I tried to do my best to achieve this result, aware that a gold medal would secure Cuba’s victory. (…) I did it for my country, my people and all the people who had my back; I hope I didn't let them down."

Andy notched up two crowns in these Games—the other was in the men’s doubles with Jorge Moises Campos—and a silver medal to help Cuba’s table tennis reap three first, two second and two third places.

In the 2018 edition held in Barranquilla, the Cubans finished with a 2-1-5 record.