Panama wins first medal in World surfing games

PANAMANIAN surfer Juan Carlos González won silver behind Sean Joubert of South Africa in the final of the World Surfing Games on Sunday May 12.

It was Panama’s first ever medal in the competition which focuses world attention on the country’s surfing beaches.
The International Surfing Association (ISA), event which was held in Santa Catalina, Veraguas attracted more than 150 surfers from 24 countries.
Gonzalez, 18, fell in the final before the favorite took first place after eight days of competition.
Joubert won the gold medal with 17.66 points and González scored 14.90.
The bronze medal went to Peru's Cristóbal del Col.
González, a native of Santa Catalina, advanced to the final with a combined score of 10.80 in the tenth and final round.