Brazil have won both the 2024 SCAHC Men’s and Women’s South and Central America Beach Handball Championships titles, which concluded recently (10-13 April).

The third edition of the continental event - following its debut in 2019 (Marica, Brazil) and second edition in 2022 (Maceio, Brazil) - featured 30 games in total and was held at the Paraguayan Olympic Committee Building (Predio Comité Olímpico Paraguayo) in capital city Asunción.

And all teams present had the added reward of qualification places for the 2024 IHF Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships in the People's Republic of China available too.

Teams from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay competed in the men’s and women’s competitions with Peru also sending a men’s team.

Both competitions saw an initial round-robin league format, with the top two going through to the final and next two playing off for third.

Brazil women podium-topping once again

Having dominated the Pan American Beach Handball Championships, before the SCAHC and NACHC (North American and the Caribbean Handball Confederation) federations were formed and then winning the debut SCAHC event in 2019, Brazil were shocked last time out when Argentina defeated them in the 2022 final 11:10 via shoot-out.

But 2024 would see business resume as usual for the Brazilians – despite a hiccup in their final group match of the preliminary stage.

Both Argentina and Brazil had won their first three group matches 2-0, against Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay before facing each other in their final group match. 

With both teams already confirmed for the final – and with it, a spot each at the 2024 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship – there was nothing competitively at stake, with each team winning a set 17:12. It went to shoot-out eventually and Argentina took another Brazilian scalp, 7:6 in the shoot-out.

After Uruguay won bronze with a 2-0 victory over the host nation, the gold medal match between Argentina and Brazil – a repeat of both the 2019 and 2022 finals – saw Brazil ease to a 21:12, 24:20 2-0 victory. 

“In the first set they marked their category a little, as a world champion team and having top players,” said Argentina coach Leticia Brunati about opponents Brazil to local media after the game. “In the second set we were very good in attack, but in defence we were not firm.

“Our first objective here was to qualify for the world championship and it was also to become champions although we were a little far from that. However, it is important to be in our second, consecutive world championship. Now, we will try to be at our highest [level] possible and by doing things well we can improve on our 2022 performance when we finished seventh.”

Perfect record for Brazilian men

The Brazil men were unbeatable in Paraguay, winning all five of their group games 2-0 and then the final by the same score, against Argentina – but they were made to work.

In the first set, a Joao De Sousa single point with six seconds remaining, put the pressure on Argentina to equalise, but they could not hit the target and the Brazilians ran out 15:14 winners. The second set promised much, but Brazil’s defence stood strong, conceding just eight points as they secured their third title in three editions, with a 16:8-point victory.

"I am very happy because from the game model we were able to do very well and were very close in the final. We restricted Brazil to a very low score and they are not used to that [but] we need to improve a little definition in attack and be a little more precise to have clearer shots,” said Argentina coach Sebastián Ferraro to local media after the game.

“We’re very happy with the classification, it was one of our objectives. Although there were possibilities, the tournament was still difficult and very even between all the countries. Our second objective was to reach the final and to be a team used to playing finals and that continues to grow.”

Due to the SCAHC continent being granted an extra performance place for the upcoming 2024 world championship – thanks to the final ranking spots at the 2022 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship – three places were available to the men for China 2024, so the bronze medal match between the Chile and opponents Uruguay was, effectively, an IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship play-off.

And it was to prove to be heartbreak for Chile, going for a place at the event for the very first time. 

Facing the more experienced Uruguay – aiming for their sixth, consecutive, global appearance, Chile thought they had taken the first set to a golden goal, equalising with just a few seconds left to make it 18:18, but from the restart a half-court long-ranger snuck past the Chilean goalkeeper for a single point, Uruguay taking the set 19:18 with just one second remaining.

More drama was to come in the second set with regulation time ending at 12:12. In the golden goal period, Uruguay won the throw-off but turned the ball over to their opponents. However, the Uruguay defence stood firm, defending the Chilean shot.

As they went down the other end, Chile saw their second attack saved, but saw the ball turned over to them and, this time, they did not make any mistake, shooting home to take the extra period 14:12, win the game, take bronze and grab a place at China 2024.

All-star teams announced
Four of the six nations competing in Paraguay had players recognised as being the best in their positions during the championship.

Women
Right Wing: Patricia Scheppa (Brazil) 
Left Wing: Fiorella Corimberto (Argentina)
Defensive Specialist: Arianne Demetrio (Brazil)
Specialist: Lucila Balsas (Argentina)
Goalkeeper: Analia Yaryes (Paraguay)
Pivot: Beatriz Correa (Brazil)

Men
Right Wing: Santino Sposito (Argentina) 
Left Wing: Renan Pinheiro (Brazil)
Defensive Specialist: Santiago Viondo (Argentina)
Specialist: Mauro Rosso (Chile)
Goalkeeper: Cristiano Seben (Brazil)
Pivot: Gil Pires (Brazil)

Games are available to watch on demand via the Handball SC América YouTube channel HERE.

FINAL RANKING

Men’s Competition
1 Brazil (BRA)*
2 Argentina (ARG)*
3 Uruguay (URU)*
4 Chile (CHI)
5 Paraguay (PAR)
6 Peru (PER)

*Qualified for the 2024 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship

Women’s Competition
1 Brazil (BRA)*
2 Argentina (ARG)*
3 Uruguay (URU)
4 Paraguay (PAR)
5 Chile (CHI)

*Qualified for the 2024 IHF Women’s Beach Handball World Championship

RESULTS

Women’s Competition

Round Robin
PAR vs URU 2-1 (10:9, 10:11)
CHI vs ARG 0-2 (13:20, 10:24)
ARG vs PAR 2-0 (22:13, 24:8)
CHI vs BRA 0-2 (6:18, 10:24)
PAR vs CHI 2-1 (14:15, 28:14, SO 10:9)
BRA vs URU 2-0 (19:16, 23:16)
BRA vs PAR 2-0 (24:12, 15:11)
URU vs ARG 0-2 (16:25, 12:14)
CHI vs URU 0-2 (16:19, 16:20)
BRA vs ARG 1-2 (12:17, 17:12, SO 6:7)

3/4 Placement (Bronze): PAR vs URU 0-2 (12:15, 19:20)
1/2 Placement (Gold/Final): ARG vs BRA 0-2 (12:21, 20:24)

Men’s Competition

Round Robin
BRA vs PAR 2-0 (24:12, 14:4)
URU vs CHI 2-0 (20:12, 12:10)
ARG vs PER 2-0 (14:4, 22:10)
PER vs URU 0-2 (18:28, 14:19)
CHI vs BRA 0-2 (12:28, 10:16)
PAR vs ARG 0-2 (16:19, 13:18)
BRA vs PER 2-0 (26:6, 27:8)
PAR vs CHI 0-2 (12:13, 18:22)
ARG vs URU 2-1 (12:15, 19:18, SO 13:12)
URU vs BRA 0-2 (6:22, 18:20)
PER vs PAR 1-2 (10:12, 15:12, SO 0:6)
ARG vs CHI 2-1 (17:20, 18:14, SO 10:6)
CHI vs PER 2-0 (16:8, 22:8)
URU vs PAR 2-0 (18:12, 16:9)
BRA vs ARG 2-0 (21:18, 18:7)

5/6 Placement: PAR vs PER 2-0 (17:14, 21:10)
3/4 Placement (Bronze): URU vs CHI 2-0 (19:18, 14:12)
1/2 Placement (Gold/Final): BRA vs ARG 2-0 (15:14, 16:8)