Argentina take four nations beach titles at home

Argentina have won both the men’s and women’s ‘Four Nations’ competitions at home on Las Toscas beach at Mar del Plata.

Both competitions took place from 24-26 February and featured two Argentina national teams each – an ‘A’ (playing in white) team featuring the strongest seven and a ‘B’ team (sky blue) with the remaining squad members.

The women’s competition saw four teams – the two home sides, plus Uruguay and Paraguay competing. Argentina A beat Paraguay and their B team 2-0 each, while Uruguay took them to a shoot-out, which they won 2-1. The final saw a rematch between Uruguay and Argentina A, with the A side winning 2-0, the B team beat Paraguay (2-0) to finish third.

It also marked the first time that Leticia Brunati took charge of the women’s side, after being confirmed as their new head coach last month.

Argentina’s A side also won the men’s competition, winning all five of their games via shoot-outs in a tight event. Their fifth and final shoot-out win was in the final, where they took down Brazil (represented by Niteroi Rugby) 6:2 in the decider. Uruguay defeated Argentina’s B side 7:4 in a shoot-out win to finish third.

Inés Arrondo, Secretary for Sports of Argentina and President of the Argentinian Handball Confederation, Carlos Ferrea, were in attendance at the event which acted as preparation for the South American Beach Games in Colombia in July and the 2023 ANOC Beach Games in Indonesia in August.

It followed the 2023 edition of the Copa Argentina Open which saw women’s side IFES Fly Summer from Neuquén win the cup for the fourth consecutive time in four events after defeating Deportivo Mitre in a shoot-out, while Sol de Mayo Rio Negro men’s team won the title for the second consecutive year after beating IFES 2-0.

Over 140 players from 14 teams across five Argentinean provinces competed over the four days of match action. Players included 2018 Youth Olympic Games medallists Gisela Bonomi, Lucila Balsas, Belén Aizen, Carolina Ponce, Alejo Novillo, Nahuel Baptista, Tomás Páez, Nicolás Millet, José Basualdo and Francisco Daudinot.

FOUR NATIONS

Women’s Competition

Final Ranking
1 Argentina A (White)
2 Uruguay
3 Argentina B (Sky Blue)
4 Paraguay

Results
Paraguay vs Uruguay 0-2 (8:19, 10:18)
Argentina A vs Argentina B 2-0 (20:14, 16:8)
Argentina B vs Paraguay 2-0 (24:16, 24:18)
Uruguay vs Argentina A 1-2 (17:16, 12:18, SO 12:14)
Paraguay vs Argentina A 0-2 (14:24, 8:26)
Uruguay vs Argentina B 2-1 (19:20, 18:12, SO 5:4)
3/4 Placement: Argentina B vs Paraguay 2-0 (22:9, 20:12)
Final: Argentina A vs Uruguay 2-0 (22:12, 20:14)

Men’s Competition

Final Ranking
1 Argentina A (White)
2 Brazil
3 Argentina B (Sky Blue)
4 Uruguay
5 Paraguay

Results
Uruguay vs Brazil 1-2 (12:10, 12:22, SO 6:9)
Argentina B vs Argentina A 1-2 (24:14, 14:19, SO 8:9)
Paraguay vs Argentina B 1-2 (16:14, 18:21, SO 2:5)
Argentina A vs Brazil 2-1 (19:18, 16:17, SO 8:6)
Uruguay vs Paraguay 2-0 (15:14, 18:16)
Brazil vs Argentina B 2-0 (17:16, 19:18)
Argentina A vs Uruguay 2-1 (6:19, 13:12, SO 9:6)
Uruguay vs Argentina B 0-2 (14:12, 18:16)
Paraguay vs Argentina A 1-2 (13:10, 8:18, SO 6:7)
Brazil vs Paraguay 2-0 (24:10, 28:18)
3/4 Placement: Argentina B vs Uruguay 1-2 (18:22, 18:13, SO 4:7)
Final: Argentina A vs Brazil 2-1 (11:18, 19:16, SO 6:2)

For more information on the four nations tournament visit handballargentina.org.

COPA ARGENTINA

Women’s Final Ranking
1 IFES
2 Deportivo Mitre
3 Municipalidad de la Costa
4 Atlantica
5 Only Beach

Men’s Final Ranking
1 Sol de Mayo
2 IFES
3 Union Argentina
4 Only Beach
5-9 ABC, Once Unidos, Alianza San Juan, Peuma Limay, Goliat, Once Unidos

For more information on the 2023 Copa Argentina, visit HERE.