DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: FORMER WORLD NUMBER ONE MARCELO RIOS LOSES BOTH TENNIS FINALS AT XIV PAN AMERICAN GAMES

Record ID: 646021

  • Title: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: FORMER WORLD NUMBER ONE MARCELO RIOS LOSES BOTH TENNIS FINALS AT XIV PAN AMERICAN GAMES
  • Date: 6th August 2003
  • Summary: SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (AUGUST 10, 2003) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF CITY SIGN FOR JUAN PABLO DUARTE OLYMPIC CENTRE MAN SELLING DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FLAGS
  • Embargoed: 21st August 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Topics: General,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA1A2RKF47ARV939E7LXYW0ATNA
  • Story Text: Former world number one tennis player Marcelo Rios loses both tennis finals at the XIV Pan American Games.
    Former world number one Marcelo Rios squandered two match points before losing to Fernando Meligeni in the Brazilian's farewell match in the Pan American Games tennis final in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Sunday (August 10).
    The 33-year-old Meligeni who announced earlier he would retire after the Panam tournament, won 5-7 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) after saving match points in the second and third sets.
    Rios also missed out on a gold medal with fellow Chilean Adrian Garcia in the men's doubles final losing to Santiago Gonzalez and Alejandro Hernandez of Mexico 7-6, 2-6, 3-6.
    Rios denied last week he was retiring after the Games.
    In the women's tennis finals Venezuela's Milagros Sequera surprised many after upsetting favourite Sarah Taylor of the United States 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.
    Sequera earned Venezuela its fifth gold medal in Santo Domingo.
    In water polo, the United States men captured gold after beating the Brazilians 13-7. Puerto Rico won bronze in that event.
    The United States also won the triathlon with Hunter C.
    Kemper crossing the finish line at one hour, 52 minutes,
    8 seconds. Brazil's Virgilio de Castilho came in 49 seconds later to take the silver and Argentina's Oscar S.
    Galindez came in third for bronze.
    In baseball, the United States beat Mexico 3-2 in a 14-inning marathon to set up a classic final for the gold against traditional rival Cuba. They reached the final after beating Nicaragua 2-1 in their semi-final game.
    Meanwhile, former world championship silver medallist Letitia Vriesde of Surinam, who won the gold medal in the women's 800 metres on Wednesday (August 6), failed a dope test, organisers said on Sunday.
    The veteran, who became the first athlete to fail a test at this year's games, was found to have excessive amounts of caffeine, Pan American Sports Organisation (ODEPA) president Mario Vazquez Rana told a news conference.
    Asked if the 38-year-old could inadvertently have drunk too much coffee before the race, Rana said: "I asked them if this wouldn't be because she drank coffee they and told me she would have to drink five gallons."
    As a result, the small South American nation will lose the only medal they have won at this year's games.
    Vriesde won a silver medal at the world championships in Gothenburg in 1995 and bronze in Edmonton two years ago.
    She said last year that she wanted to run in the Athens Olympics in 2004 and then retire after that.
    Adriana Munoz of Cuba, who finished second in two minutes 2.96 seconds, will receive the gold, Marian Burnette of Guyana will take the silver and Christine Ritz of Brazil the bronze, Vazquez Rana said.
    Rana added that the International Athletics and Federation (IAAF) was responsible for deciding on any suspension.
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