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Kevin Cordón

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Kevin Cordón
Cordón in 2024
Personal information
Birth nameKevin Haroldo Cordón Buezo
CountryGuatemala
Born (1986-11-28) 28 November 1986 (age 37)
La Unión, Zacapa, Guatemala
Height5 ft 11.5 in (1.82 m)
Weight150 lb (68 kg)
Years active1998–present
HandednessLeft
CoachJosé María Solís
Men's singles & doubles
Highest ranking24 (MS 12 April 2012)
43 (MD 21 October 2010)
Current ranking41 (MS 16 July 2024)
Medal record
Men's badminton
Representing  Guatemala
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2011 Guadalajara Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2015 Toronto Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 2007 Rio de Janeiro Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Lima Men's singles
Pan Am Championships
Gold medal – first place 2009 Guadalajara Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2009 Guadalajara Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2012 Lima Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2022 San Salvador Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2024 Guatemala City Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 2008 Lima Men's doubles
Silver medal – second place 2019 Aguascalientes Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2008 Lima Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Markham Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Guatemala City Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Guatemala City Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Kingston Men's singles
Central American and Caribbean Games
Gold medal – first place 2006 Cartagena Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2010 Mayagüez Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2010 Mayagüez Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2010 Mayagüez Men's team
Gold medal – first place 2014 Veracruz Men's singles
Gold medal – first place 2014 Veracruz Men's doubles
Gold medal – first place 2014 Veracruz Mixed team
Gold medal – first place 2018 Barranquilla Men's singles
Silver medal – second place 2006 Cartagena Men's team
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Cartagena Men's doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Barranquilla Mixed team
Representing  Independent Athletes Team
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 2023 Santiago Men's singles
BWF profile

Kevin Haroldo Cordón Buezo (born 28 November 1986)[1] is a Guatemalan badminton player. He won two men's singles titles at the Pan American Games, four titles at the Pan Am Championships (3 in singles and 1 in doubles), and six titles at the Central American and Caribbean Games (4 in singles and 2 in doubles). He is a five-time Olympian for Guatemala participating at the 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and the 2024 Olympic Games.

Career

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Born in La Unión, Zacapa, Cordón was named after former England international footballer Kevin Keegan,[2] of whom his father was a fan. In spite of badminton not being popular in Guatemala during his childhood, he became a badminton player as he thought it would give him a better chance of one day becoming an Olympian than if he played a different sport being the first member of his family to practice the sport.[3] He began playing at the age of 11 and by 1998 he was a part of the Zacapa Department's youth team.[4]

After winning the silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games, Cordón qualified to the 2008 Olympic Games and was selected as the flag bearer of his nation's Olympic team. At the Beijing Games, he lost against the #3 seeded player, Bao Chunlai from China.

At the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games, he won three gold medals in the singles, doubles, and team events, being the Guatemalan athlete with the most medals won during the games.

Cordón then competed at the 2011 BWF World Championships in London, where he reached the quarterfinals after beating fifth-seeded Chen Long from China, Henri Hurskainen from Sweden and Pablo Abian from Spain to face the tournament's top-seeded Lee Chong Wei. There he lost to the Malaysian player in two straight sets.[5]

Cordón was selected as the flag bearer for the Guatemalan team at the opening ceremony of the 2011 Pan American Games,[6] and was also the top seeded player in the men's singles event. On 20 October 2011, he won his first Pan-American Games gold medal by beating Cuban competitor Osleni Guerrero in the final. Cordón did not lose one set in the tournament.[7] In 2015, he successfully defended his men's singles Pan Am Games title at the Atos Markham Pan Am Centre in Toronto at the Pan American Games beating Canadian Andrew D'Souza 21–13, 21–14 in the final.

Cordón qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics singles competition. He won both of his group matches, beating 15th seed Englishman Rajiv Ouseph and Swedish player Henri Hurskainen in the process, thus winning a place in the round of 16. He lost his round of 16 match versus Sho Sasaki of Japan. He qualified again to the 2016 Summer Olympics, but had to withdraw due to injury after finishing the first match, losing a tough 3-setter against Adrian Dziolko of Poland.[8]

Cordón qualified again for the 2020 Summer Olympics. He won both of his group matches, defeating Mexican Lino Munoz and the 8th-seeded Ng Ka Long, thus winning a place in the round of 16. He defeated Mark Caljouw of the Netherlands to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time ever. In the quarter-finals, he defeated Korean Heo Kwang-hee 21–13 and 21–18 to become the first Central American to advance to the Olympic badminton semi-finals. He lost the semi-final to eventual gold medalist Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and the bronze medal match to Indonesian Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, both in straight games.

Kevin Cordón twice won the continental Pan Am Badminton Championships in the men's singles event in 2009 and 2012 and also once the men's doubles Pan Am badminton event in 2009 with compatriot Rodolfo Ramirez.

Already as a junior player in 2004, he won the continental Pan Am Junior Badminton Championships boys' singles title in the U-19 category.

On 3 July 2024, he and female sport shooter Waleska Soto were chosen by the Guatemalan Olympic Committee to be the flag bearers in the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.[9] Playing in his fifth Olympics, he broke the Olympic record for a badminton player, along with Pablo Abián.[10] However, after losing his first group match, he withdrew from the tournament due to injury.[11]

Achievements

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Pan American Games

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Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2007 Riocentro Sports Complex, Pavilion 4B, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Canada Mike Beres 21–13, 11–21, 10–21 Silver Silver
2011 Multipurpose Gymnasium, Guadalajara, Mexico Cuba Osleni Guerrero 23–21, 21–19 Gold Gold
2015 Atos Markham Pan Am Centre, Toronto, Canada Canada Andrew D'Souza 21–13, 21–14 Gold Gold
2019 Polideportivo 3, Lima, Peru Canada Brian Yang 21–15, 13–21, 3–13 retired Bronze Bronze
2023 Olympic Training Center, Santiago, Chile Canada Brian Yang 18–21, 6–21 Silver Silver

Pan Am Championships

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Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2008 Club de Regatas, Lima, Peru Canada David Snider 21–23, 21–6, 19–21 Bronze Bronze
2009 Coliseo Olímpico de la Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico Canada Stephan Wojcikiewicz 21–11, 21–19 Gold Gold
2012 Manuel Bonilla Stadium, Lima, Peru Cuba Osleni Guerrero 23–21, 21–19 Gold Gold
2018 Teodoro Palacios Flores Gymnasium, Guatemala City, Guatemala Canada Jason Ho-Shue 14–21, 17–21 Bronze Bronze
2019 Gimnasio Olímpico, Aguascalientes, Mexico Cuba Osleni Guerrero 11–21, 20–22 Silver Silver
2021 Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Guatemala City, Guatemala Canada Jason Ho-Shue 17–21, 18–21 Bronze Bronze
2022 Palacio de los Deportes Carlos "El Famoso" Hernández, San Salvador, El Salvador Canada Brian Yang 21–17, 21–14 Gold Gold
2023 G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, Kingston, Jamaica El Salvador Uriel Canjura 22–20, 12–21, 14–21 Bronze Bronze
2024 Teodoro Palacios Flores Gymnasium, Guatemala City, Guatemala El Salvador Uriel Canjura 14–21, 21–17, 21–13 Gold Gold

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2008 Club de Regatas,
Lima, Peru
Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez Canada Toby Ng
Canada William Milroy
16–21, 9–21 Silver Silver
2009 Coliseo Olímpico de la Universidad de Guadalajara,
Guadalajara, Mexico
Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez Peru Antonio de Vinatea
Peru Martín del Valle
21–18, 17–21, 23–21 Gold Gold
2014 Markham Pan Am Centre,
Markham, Canada
Guatemala Aníbal Marroquín United States Phillip Chew
United States Sattawat Pongnairat
13–21, 7–21 Bronze Bronze

Central American and Caribbean Games

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Men's singles

Year Venue Opponent Score Result
2006 Pavilion of Parque del Este, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Cuba Ilian Perez Gold Gold
2010 Raymond Dalmau Coliseum, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico Guatemala Pedro Yang 21–15, 21–12 Gold Gold
2014 Omega Complex, Veracruz, Mexico Cuba Osleni Guerrero 20–22, 21–13, 24–22 Gold Gold
2018 Coliseo Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia Cuba Osleni Guerrero 21–16, 14–21, 25–23 Gold Gold

Men's doubles

Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result
2006 Pavilion of Parque del Este,
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez Cuba Lazaro Jerez
Cuba Ilian Perez
21–12, 13–21, 15–21[12] Bronze Bronze
2010 Raymond Dalmau Coliseum,
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez Mexico Andrés López
Mexico Lino Muñoz
18–21, 21–17, 21–6 Gold Gold
2014 Omega Complex,
Veracruz, Mexico
Guatemala Aníbal Marroquín Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez
Guatemala Jonathan Solís
22–20, 22–20 Gold Gold

BWF International Challenge/Series (44 titles, 19 runner-up)

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Men's singles

Year Tournament Opponent Score Result
2007 Bulgarian International Czech Republic Jan Fröhlich 13–21, 7–17 retired 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2007 Cyprus International India Chetan Anand 8–21, 24–26 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2008 Peru International Peru Andrés Corpancho 21–14, 21–14 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2008 Miami PanAm International Denmark Christian Lind Thomsen 21–18, 21–10 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2008 Brazil International Peru Andrés Corpancho 21–15, 21–14 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2008 Puerto Rico International Iran Kaveh Mehrabi 21–13, 21–9 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2009 Giraldilla International Indonesia Ari Trisnanto 21–19, 14–21, 18–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2009 Puerto Rico International Portugal Pedro Martins 18–21, 21–13, 21–17 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2009 Mexican International Jamaica Charles Pyne 21–11, 21–13 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2009 Santo Domingo Open Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez 21–17, 21–12 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2009 Guatemala International Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez 21–16, 21–12 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2010 Suriname International India Abdul Aditya 23–21, 21–9 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2010 Miami PanAm International United States Hock Lai Lee 13–21, 21–14, 21–18 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2010 Santo Domingo Open Portugal Pedro Martins 10–21, 13–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2010 Guatemala International Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez 21–14, 21–16 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2010 Brazil International United States Hock Lai Lee 13–21, 17–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2011 Peru International Austria Michael Lahnsteiner 23–21, 6–21, 21–12 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2011 Slovenian International Chinese Taipei Hsu Jen-hao 14–21, 21–19, 10–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2012 Guatemala International United States Howard Shu Walkover 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2012 Brazil International Sri Lanka Niluka Karunaratne 17–21, 22–20, 21–19 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2014 Mercosul International Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez 21–14, 21–16 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2014 Argentina International Brazil Daniel Paiola 21–12, 21–18 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2014 Chile International Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez 9–11, 11–9, 11–2, 11–6 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2014 Guatemala International Spain Pablo Abián 11–4, 8–11, 5–11, 10–11 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2015 Peru International Series Brazil Daniel Paiola 21–16, 22–20 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2015 Mercosul International Norway Marius Myhre 21–14, 21–17 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2015 Mauritius International Austria Luka Wraber 21–12, 21–18 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2015 Guatemala International Brazil Ygor Coelho 22–20, 21–11 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2015 Brazil International Brazil Ygor Coelho 18–21, 22–20, 19–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2015 Puerto Rico International United States Howard Shu 21–17, 21–15 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2016 Guatemala International Cuba Osleni Guerrero Walkover 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2017 Yonex / K&D Graphics International Japan Kento Momota 7–21, 15–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2017 Carebaco International India Karan Rajan Rajarajan 21–19, 21–18 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2017 Internacional Mexicano Guatemala Aníbal Marroquín 21–12, 21–9 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2017 Guatemala International Cuba Leodannis Martínez 21–17, 21–18 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2018 Peru International Cuba Osleni Guerrero 22–20, 14–21, 21–15 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2018 International Mexicano Belgium Maxime Moreels 21–19, 21–14 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2018 Guatemala International United States Timothy Lam 21–12, 21–13 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2018 Suriname International Belgium Elias Bracke 21–13, 21–15 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2019 Jamaica International Japan Kodai Naraoka 17–21, 8–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2019 Peru International Canada Brian Yang 21–15, 13–21, 12–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2019 International Mexicano Mexico Lino Muñoz 21–16, 21–13 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2019 Guatemala International Mexico Lino Muñoz 21–6, 11–3 retired 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2019 Brazil International Mexico Lino Muñoz 21–19, 21–19 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2019 Santo Domingo Open Canada Brian Yang 8–21, 4–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2019 Suriname International Canada Brian Yang Walkover 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2021 Guatemala International Canada Victor Lai 21–13, 21–11 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2022 Mexican International Brazil Jonathan Matias 21–10, 21–13 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2022 El Salvador International El Salvador Uriel Canjura 18–21, 23–21, 18–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2023 Brazil International Brazil Ygor Coelho 22–20, 14–21, 21–16 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2023 Guatemala International Brazil Ygor Coelho 21–17, 11–21, 21–23 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2023 Peru Challenge Japan Takuma Kawamoto 12–21, 21–16, 14–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2023 Guatemala International Italy Giovanni Toti 21–8, 21–19 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2023 Mexican International Croatia Aria Dinata 21–15, 21–15 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2023 El Salvador International Brazil Ygor Coelho 21–17, 15–21, 21–19 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner

Men's doubles

Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result
2009 Peru International Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez Spain José Vicente Martínez
Spain Javier Tur
16–21, 8–2 retired 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2009 Puerto Rico International Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez United States Phillip Chew
United States Halim Haryanto
21–19, 13–21, 21–16 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2009 Santo Domingo Open Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez United States Phillip Chew
United States Halim Haryanto
21–23, 21–15, 21–17 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2009 Guatemala International Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez United States Mathew Fogarthy
United States David Neuman
21–16, 21–14 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2010 Suriname International Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez Suriname Virgil Soeroredjo
Suriname Mitchel Wongsodikromo
21–14, 21–16 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2010 Santo Domingo Open Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez Canada Adrian Liu
Canada Derrick Ng
21–18, 24–22 1st place, gold medalist(s) Winner
2010 Guatemala International Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez Canada Adrian Liu
Canada Derrick Ng
21–23, 20–22 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
2017 Mercosul International Guatemala Aníbal Marroquín Guatemala Rodolfo Ramírez
Guatemala Jonathan Solís
21–15, 13–21, 13–21 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runner-up
  BWF International Challenge tournament
  BWF International Series tournament
  BWF Future Series tournament

Record against selected opponents

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Includes results against CACSO Games finalists, Pan Am Games finalists, Pan Am Championships finalists, Super Series finalists, World Championship semifinalists, Olympic quarter-finalists, and all Olympic opponents.[13]

References

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  1. ^ Badminton Player : Kevin Cordon on BadmintonLink.com Archived 9 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Guatemalan Cordon's dream run goes on | Reuters
  3. ^ Badminton | U.S. Open badminton competitor Kevin Cordon – Los Angeles Times
  4. ^ Diario de Centro América – Deportes [permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Guatemalan Cordon's dream run goes on
  6. ^ (in Spanish) Cordón será el abanderado de la delegación guatemalteca en Guadajalara 2011 Archived 26 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Badminton Results – CORDON Kevin
  8. ^ Diego, Juan (12 August 2016). "Kevin Cordón no jugará el segundo partido de bádminton por lesión". guatemala.com. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  9. ^ "La bandera de Guatemala en París 2024" (in Spanish). Comité Olímpico Guatemalteco. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Memorable Moments | Kevin Cordon at Tokyo 2020". olympics.bwfbadminton.com. Badminton World Federation. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Kevin Cordon withdraws from Paris 2024 due to injury". badmintoneurope.com. Badminton Europe. 28 July 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  12. ^ Badminton: Cuba impuso su ley en las semifinales
  13. ^ http://www.tournamentsoftware.com/profile/selectheadtohead.aspx?id=B8ECFF4D-C7A9-4778-AE13-900E7F626638 [bare URL]
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Olympic Games
Preceded by Flagbearer for  Guatemala
Beijing 2008
Succeeded by
Preceded by Flagbearer for  Guatemala
París 2024
With: Waleska Soto
Succeeded by
Incumbent