The Pan-American Games are just a few months away and excitement started to build last Sunday in Canelones, Uruguay, where the draws for the handball competition took place. Next July, when eight Pan-American teams face each other in Toronto the most valuable prize will be at stake: a place for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
With Brazil already qualified in both men and women, as they’re the host nation, the rest of the Pan-American countries will fight for that one unique spot available for the Olympic Games during this event. The handball competition will go from July 16th until July 25th and will take place at the Exhibition Centre, in downtown Toronto.
The last team to qualify was Uruguay, in both men and women, after they defeated the United States in a home and away qualifier. Right after the qualification, the draws took place and this is how the groups were formed:
Men’s competition:
Group 1: Brazil, Dominican Republic, Canada, Uruguay.
Group 2: Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Puerto Rico.
Women’s competition:
Group 1: Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada.
Group 2: Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Cuba.
The Pan-American Games are the third largest multi-sport event in the world after the Olympic and Asian Games. This will be the third time that Canada hosts the Games after Winnipeg 1967 and 1999. The defending champions from the latest edition in Guadalajara 2011, are Argentina (men) and Brazil (women); they both granted their participation in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
TEXT: LAURA AGENA
