(by Steve Hopkins, photo USATT)

The 2025 ITTF Para Pan American Championships wrapped up this weekend in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  It delivered four days of fierce competition among the Hemisphere’s best para athletes with players from the US battling the top players from Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Costa Rica and many others.

Winners qualified directly for the 2026 World Para Championships – and that was the case for three Americans: Jenson Van Emburgh, Ian Seidenfeld, and Tahl Leibovitz.  In Men’s Singles Class 3, Van Emburgh logged a 3-1 win over Gabriel Copola of Argentina in the Semifinals and a 3-1 win over Brazil’s Welder Camargo Knaf in the Final.  Ian Seidenfeld upset the top seeded Ignacio Torres of Chile in the Semifinals before blanking Chile’s Matias Pino 3-0 in the Final of Class 6.   And in Class 9, Tahl Leibovitz defeated Argentina’s Eithan Skliarsky 3-0 in the Semifinals and then topped Lucas Dos Santos Carvalho of Brazil in the Final.  Each of these three has now punched their ticket for Glasgow, Scotland – the host of the World Para Championships this Summer.

USA had a number of other participants as well.  Samuel Altshuler was 1-1 in Men’s Singles Class 6, losing in the Semifinals.  Logan Watson also fell in the Semifinals of his event – Men’s Singles Class 9.  Randall Medcalf was less fortunate in Men’s Singles Class 10, losing in the Quarterfinals to second-place finisher from Chile.

Another  American Gold Medal went to Tahl Leibovitz and Logan Watson in Men’s Doubles Class MD 18 as they defeated the top seeded Brazilian team in the Semifinals and the second seeded (also) Brazilian team in the Final.

Solid results across the board from TeamUSA – and one more step for three great candidates for Medals at the World Para Championships next Summer.

For full results and match details, visit the official ITTF results page.

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