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This article appeared on November 5, 2017.

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We’re midway through day one of the 29th International Racquetball Federation (IRF) World Junior Racquetball Championships in Minneapolis, Minnesota at Lifetime Fitness Target Center, and we have the results so far for you below.

Perhaps the most interesting group is Group A of the U18 Girl’s Singles, which has Stefanny Barrios (Bolivia), Jordan Cooperrider (USA), and Gabriela Martinez (Guatemala). In the first match of the group, Barrios defeated Cooperrider, 15-3, 15-12, and will play Martinez Monday. Cooperrider and Martinez will play Tuesday. The winner of the Group A will be the #1 seed for the playoff round.

Barrios – with today’s win – has the inside track for the #1 spot, but Martinez – last year’s World Juniors U16 gold medalist and silver medalist at the 2016 IRF World Championships – can likely beat both her and Cooperrider, so she could be the #1 seed for the playoffs.

The competition has two parts, like the World Cup of football/soccer. The first has three days of group play, and the results of that are used to create a playoff draw to determine the year’s World Junior Champions. The group stage begins Sunday, and we have the first matches for you below.

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