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Notebook Mexican diver hoping to repeat double goldPosted: Saturday August 02, 2003 3:51 PMSANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- Many gold medalists from the last Pan American Games are in the Dominican Republic hoping for a repeat performance. But Mexican diver Fernando Platas isn't interested in just one gold medal, he wants to retain both titles he won in Winnipeg four years ago. "Every day I have to prove to myself that I am one of the best divers in the Americas, in the world," said Platas, a 30-year-old veteran who won the gold medal in the 3 meter springboard and 10 meter platform events last time around. Platas also won the gold medal in the 3 meter springboard three years ago at the Sydney Olympics. "That was beautiful. Now, the Pan American Games will serve as a preparatory event for the Athens Games, where I hope to win the gold medal," Platas said. The Mexican said he thinks his toughest competition will come from Canada, the United States, Cuba and Brazil. "The competition in each new event is more difficult, and for that reason I train harder and harder," he said. Aiming highDominican high jumper Juana Arrendel didn't come to the Pan American Games just to win a medal. She came to win a gold medal."I prepared well, I'm optimistic and I aspire to do my best to win the title for my public," said Arrendel, who won the gold medal four years ago in Winnipeg but was stripped of her title after testing positive in a doping test. She was then suspended for two years. "I'm going to be under tremendous pressure because my country expects much from me," she said. Arrendel has a personal best mark of 1.97 meters, which he jumped at the Central American and Caribbean Games last year. Her top competition is expected to come from Mexican Romary Rifka, the 32nd-ranked high jumper in the world. But Arrendel thinks she can get over 2 meters at home in the Dominican Republic. "I have the potential to do it, but I also must handle the competition well ... and maintain my concentration," Arrendel said. Gold diggerGreco-Roman wrestler Filiberto Azcuy has won two Olympic gold medals and two world championships, but he desperately wants to win a gold medal at the Pan American Games.In Winnipeg four years ago, Azcuy lost the gold to American Matt Lindland. "I want to erase the memory of Winnipeg and win here, where once again my main rival will be the American," Azcuy said. "For that reason, revenge will be special to me." Azcuy, who won golds at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics and world titles in 1995 and '99, said he never gets tired of winning. "On the contrary, it inspires me to keep fighting and accumulating more successes," he said. In 1999, Cuba won six of the eight gold medals in this event, and took silver in the other two. Sister, sisterEmily Jacobson lightly shoved her sister for stealing her shirt, and Sada Jacobson retreated.It almost could have been a practice move for their first fencing bout at the Pan American Games. The sisters from Atlanta are among a talented fencing contingent from the United States that will be disappointed if it doesn't leave here with many medals. The 20-year-old Sada ranks No. 1 in the world in saber, one of three disciplines in the sport. Emily, 17, is sixth in the world in saber. This is the first time the event, which will make its Olympic debut at Athens next summer, has been part of the regional championship. "As soon as I got started I got hooked," said Sada, who's taking time off from her college studies to focus on fencing. "There's so much strategy." The Pan Am Games aren't an Olympic qualifier for the Jacobsons -- that will come in October at the Senior World Championships in Havana. The team will be selected next April. Shirt swapArgentine Cecilia Zeid finished fifth in the women's rifle but may wonder whether she'd have won a medal -- if she'd had the right clothes on.Zeid arrived five days ago in Santo Domingo -- but all her luggage was missing. So she borrowed a kit from a Chilean rival. "What I most regret was losing my jacket, because it was my size," she said, adding that her predicament was a psychological drawback. "It's just not the same competing with borrowed kit, but nevertheless I am grateful to my friend," she said. FavoritesWorld champion Brazil looks to be the team to beat at the Pan American Games in men's volleyball.The Brazilians, who beat Russia 3-2 in the world championship final last year in Buenos Aires, have most of its winning team in Santo Domingo for the regional games. At the last Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Brazil took silver. The South Americans play their first match on Monday against Canada, which lost to Brazil in the semifinals four years ago. Canada ended up with the bronze.
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