Most people who travel to the Caribbean like to bring some sort of souvenir home. The US junior table tennis team, while relatively inexperienced in the ways of the world, have learned this valuable lesson. The young world travelers alighted upon Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, for the 2021 ITTF Pan American Youth Championships. The festivities started Sunday in qualification groups for the junior (under 19) and cadet (under 15) teams events. First, the bad news for Team USA homers: we didn't win everything. The US junior boys team succumbed to eventual champions Brazil in the semifinals, with Jayden Zhou notching the only US win in the 3-1 loss. Now, the good news: Team USA won every other team gold on offer. In the cadet girls final, the top-ranked US team swept surprise finalists Canada, the #9 seeds. In the Under 15 Boys event, it was the third-ranked US team exceeding seeding, defeating #1 Brazil and #2 Peru en route to the final. There, they swept the host nation Dominican Republic, at #10 the bigger upstarts seeking the biggest upset, for the championship. Then there was the matter of the junior girls final. Led by Amy Wang, the top-ranked US girls took on third-seeded Mexico in the final. The Sung twins, Rachel and Joanna (pictured), split their matches just like they split the egg. After Rachel succumbed to Arantxa Cossio Aceves, 3-1, Joanna avenged her sister with a 3-1 victory over Monica Munoz. Captain Amy Wang then conducted clinical sweeps over Clio Barcenas and Arantxa Cossio Aceves, providing sufficient points for a 3-1 team win and a third gold for Team USA. Before play concludes this Sunday, there will be more medals awarded in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, a fact which has not escaped the attention of any of the participants. The word "souvenir" is a French verb meaning "to remember." For the US junior table tennis team, draped in golden souvenirs, this trip to the Dominican Republic is certainly one they will never forget.

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