Colombia crowned champion, Lima 2027 qualifiers confirmed as historic Asuncion 2026 comes to a close

The XXVII Pan American Senior Squash Championships – Asunción 2026 came to a close after a historic week for squash in the Americas, with Colombia crowned overall champion, the nations qualifying for the Lima 2027 Pan American Games confirmed, and a record-setting championship that brought together more than 140 athletes from 20 countries.

Held in Asunción, Paraguay, the championship featured Individual, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles, and Men’s and Women’s Team competitions, bringing many of the continent’s leading players together for one of the most important events on the PanAm Squash calendar.

Beyond the medals, Asunción 2026 represented an important step on the road to Lima 2027 and ultimately to the historic Olympic debut of squash at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Sobhy and Elias add new Pan American titles

The championship began with the Individual competition, where two of the biggest names in Pan American squash added another continental title to their careers.

In the Women’s final, Amanda Sobhy (USA) defeated fellow American Marina Stefanoni 3-1 to capture her third Pan American Individual Championship.

On the Men’s side, Peru’s Diego Elías defeated Mexico’s Leonel Cárdenas 3-1. The victory gave Elías his fourth Pan American individual title, adding another major continental achievement to his career.

Read the complete Individual results

Colombia sweeps the doubles championships

The Doubles competition became one of the defining moments of Asunción 2026, with Colombia winning all three gold medals available.

Sisters Laura and María Tovar captured the Women’s Doubles title after defeating USA’s Alexandra Jaffe and Caroline Fouts in the final.

In Men’s Doubles, Matías Knudsen and Juan Camilo Vargas completed a dominant championship without dropping a single game, defeating Guatemala’s Alejandro and Josué Enríquez in the gold-medal match.

Colombia completed the sweep in Mixed Doubles. Ronald Palomino and Lucía Bautista Sarmiento also went through the competition without losing a game and defeated USA’s Timmy Brownell and Marina Stefanoni in the final.

Three events. Three gold medals for Colombia.

Read the complete Doubles results

USA and Argentina Take Team Gold

The final stage of the championship brought the Team competition and two more nations to the top of the podium.

In the Women’s final, the United States defeated Canada 2-0.

Amanda Sobhy opened the series with a 3-0 victory over Hollie Naughton, while Marina Stefanoni followed with another 3-0 win against Nicole Bunyan to secure the championship before the third match was required.

In the Men’s competition, Argentina completed an impressive run by defeating Mexico 2-0 in the final.

Leandro Romiglio gave Argentina the opening point with a 3-0 victory over Alfredo Ávila. In the second match, Leonel Cárdenas was forced to retire due to injury against Jeremías Azaña, securing the series and the Pan American Team Championship for Argentina.

Read the complete Team results

Colombia crowned overall champion

After the completion of all competitions, Colombia finished at the top of the Asunción 2026 medal standings and was crowned overall Pan American champion.

Colombia collected seven medals: three gold and four bronze, with its historic sweep of the three Doubles competitions providing all three gold medals.

The United States finished with six medals — two gold, three silver and one bronze — while Peru and Argentina each captured one gold and one bronze.

The final table also demonstrated the depth of squash across the region, with 10 different nations earning at least one medal during the championship.

The Road to Lima 2027: Qualified nations confirmed

Asunción 2026 had another major objective beyond determining the Pan American champions: qualification for the Lima 2027 Pan American Games.

With the championship completed, the nations advancing to the next major continental stage have now been confirmed.

Women’s Teams – Lima 2027

United States 🇺🇸
Canada 🇨🇦
Mexico 🇲🇽
Colombia 🇨🇴
Barbados 🇧🇧
Ecuador 🇪🇨
Brazil 🇧🇷
Argentina 🇦🇷
Paraguay 🇵🇾
Guatemala 🇬🇹
Peru 🇵🇪 – Host nation

Men’s Teams – Lima 2027

Argentina 🇦🇷
Mexico 🇲🇽
United States 🇺🇸
Colombia 🇨🇴
Canada 🇨🇦
Peru 🇵🇪
Brazil 🇧🇷
Jamaica 🇯🇲
Guatemala 🇬🇹
Chile 🇨🇱
Ecuador 🇪🇨

For these nations, the journey continues toward Lima 2027, another major milestone on the road to squash’s Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.

Fair Play Awards: Recognizing the Values of Squash

The championship also recognized athletes whose actions represented the values that go beyond results and medals.

The Asunción 2026 Fair Play Awards were presented to:

Marina Stefanoni – United States 🇺🇸
Álvaro Buenaño – Ecuador 🇪🇨

The award recognizes players who demonstrate discipline, respect, sportsmanship and fair play both on and off the court, highlighting the values PanAm Squash seeks to promote throughout the Americas.

The team behind Asuncion 2026

Delivering a Pan American Championship of this magnitude required the coordinated work of an extensive technical, officiating and operational team.

Special recognition goes to Reinaldo Rivas (CAN), Technical Director, whose work helped coordinate the many elements behind the competition, ensuring the operation between athletes, venues, schedules, technology and event logistics.

Leonardo Arozena (BRA) served as Tournament Referee, leading the officiating team throughout the championship.

The international referee team included:

Paul Alexander (USA)
Roberto Parma (ARG)
Marcelo Salemme (ARG)
Nelson Neto (BRA)
Viano Oghenekewve (CAN)
Daniel Greco (MEX)
Rubén Arroyave (COL)
Diego Reyes (MEX)
Patricio Wade (ARG)
Diego Guerra (PER)

Their professionalism, preparation and commitment were essential throughout the competition and helped maintain the standards required for the continent’s premier championship.

A historic championship made possible by Paraguay

PanAm Squash extends a special recognition to the Asociación Paraguaya de Squash, led by its President Edgar Restrepo, for the dedication, passion and respect for the sport that helped make Asunción 2026 an unforgettable championship.

With 20 participating countries and more than 140 athletes, the event became the largest and most important Pan American Senior Squash Championship in the history of PanAm Squash.

Behind that achievement was an entire organization working before and throughout the competition.

PanAm Squash recognizes the members of the Asociacion Paraguaya de Squash Executive Committee:

Rogelio Ortuzar
Christian Storm
Juan José Ovelar
Danny Yubi
Andres L’Heureux
Sonia Bareiro de Krauch
Hugo Yubi
Ricardo Ramallo

Special recognition also goes to Mario Domínguez, Tini Alvarenga and Roger Camacho for their work on the operational side of the championship.

PanAm Squash also extends its sincere gratitude to the volunteers, medical staff, security personnel, food and hospitality teams, transportation staff, physiotherapists and everyone who worked behind the scenes.

Every match played, every athlete welcomed and every detail delivered throughout the week was the result of a collective effort.

Asunción 2026: One championship, a new chapter for the continent

Twenty nations. More than 140 athletes. Individual, Doubles and Team champions. Ten countries on the medal table. New Fair Play recipients. And the nations that will continue their journey toward Lima 2027.

Colombia leaves Asunción as the overall Pan American champion with seven medals, including three golds, while the championship itself leaves a legacy that goes far beyond the final standings.

Asunción 2026 demonstrated the growth, diversity and competitive strength of squash throughout the Americas at a historic moment for the sport.

Thank you, Paraguay. Thank you to all 20 participating nations. And thank you to everyone who helped make Pan American squash history.

One championship ends, but an even bigger journey continues.

Lima 2027 awaits. Los Angeles 2028 is on the horizon.