In a day of epic comebacks at the Specialized Higher Technical Institute (ITSE), the Colombian and Peruvian delegations secured their places in the Mixed Team Table Tennis final at the IV South American Youth Games 2026.
The group stage and quarterfinals defined the dominance of the regional powerhouses. In Group B, Brazil and Peru demonstrated their authority with resounding 3-0 victories over Bolivia and Guyana, respectively. Meanwhile, in Group C, Colombia and Ecuador secured their advancement with identical 3-0 scores against Panama and Paraguay.
In the knockout stage, the intensity increased:
Peru defeated Ecuador 3-1 in the quarterfinals, thanks to an outstanding performance by the duo of Keiji Takeda and Natzumi Aquije.
Colombia struggled to defeat Venezuela in a series that went to a fifth match (3-2), lasting a total of 2 hours and 12 minutes.
Colombia vs. Brazil (3-2)
In what many considered a de facto final, the Colombian team staged a historic comeback against the South American powerhouse, Brazil. After losing the first singles match, Colombia leveled the score thanks to Mariana Rodríguez.
The drama reached its climax in the fifth and decisive match, where Ana Gómez became the hero. After losing the first two sets to Brazilian Lana Ozeki, Gómez staged a spectacular comeback to win 3-2 (6-11, 4-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5), securing Colombia’s passage to the next round after 2 hours and 30 minutes of competition.
Peru vs. Argentina (3-1)
The Peruvian team showed why they are one of the favorites for the title by overcoming a difficult start against Argentina. Despite Samuel Duffoo’s initial loss, the Inca team strung together three consecutive victories:
Natzumi Aquije defeated Alexia Salusso (3-1).
The Takeda/Aquije doubles team defeated Varela/Salusso in a hard-fought 3-2.
Finally, Keiji Takeda secured the series by defeating Agustín Asmu 3-2 in a 49-minute match.
Summary of Key Results
| Meeting | Phase | Winner | Marker | Total Duration |
| COL vs. PAN | Group C | Colombia | 3-0 | 53 min |
| PER vs. ECU | Quarters | Peru | 3-1 | 2h 7 min |
| COL vs. VEN | Quarters | Colombia | 3-2 | 2h 12 min |
| PER vs. ARG | Semifinal | Peru | 3-1 | 2h 35 min |
| COL vs. BRA | Semifinal | Colombia | 3-2 | 2h 30 min |
Interesting fact: The final will pit two contrasting styles against each other: the solid doubles performance of Peruvians Takeda and Aquije against the unwavering comeback mentality of Colombians Gómez and Bedoya.
The grand final will take place at the ITSE facilities, where a full house is expected to crown the new South American Junior Table Tennis Champions.
