Francesca Clark Wins Silver at International Giraldilla Tournament in Cuba

Maltese badminton player Francesca Clark secured a silver medal in the Women’s Singles event at the XXIV International Giraldilla 2026 tournament held in Havana, Cuba, marking a strong international showing for the Badminton Malta Academy.

Clark produced a consistent run throughout the competition, recording four consecutive victories in the main draw to reach the final. She opened her campaign with straight-set wins, including an impressive triumph over second seed Margareth Revelo.

Her route to the final then featured two demanding three-game encounters. In the quarter-final, Clark defeated Daniela Acosta 21–15, 20–22, 21–17 in a tightly contested match that lasted exactly one hour. She followed this performance with another hard-fought victory in the semi-final, overcoming fourth seed Mariangel Garcia 21–13, 14–21, 21–15 to secure her place in the title match.

In the final, Clark faced third seed Taymara Oropesa Pupo, ultimately finishing the tournament as runner-up and claiming the silver medal.

Fellow Maltese National Champion Sam Cassar also competed in Havana. Seeded fourth in the Men’s Singles, Cassar pushed Jose Manuel Jaime Magaña to a deciding game before narrowly losing 15–21, 21–18, 13–21.

Clark and Cassar also partnered in the Mixed Doubles event, where they battled Javier Alas and Margareth Revelo in a competitive three-game match, concluding their campaign with a 16–21, 21–16, 16–21 result.

With their campaign in Cuba complete, the players now return to Malta as preparations shift towards the Malta International 2026, scheduled for 16–19 April.

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