An exciting close of competition was experienced in Pingtan Island that defined the final places of the XI IHF Womes’s Beach Handball Cahmpionships China 2024. A historic runner-up finish for the Argentine women’s national team. While Brazil placed eighth in the women’s category, in the men’s category Brazil was sixth, Argentina eighth and Uruguay ninth.
In what was a historic match for Argentine beach handball, Leticia Brunati’s team faced the current champions for the gold medal. In a hard-fought first set, the Kamikazes were unable to cope with the strength and experience of the Germans and fell 16-24. In the second set, the Argentineans started to find spaces in the European defense, but the Germans did not give any advantage, closing the match in straight sets 2-0 (24:16 and 21:18). With this result, Argentina won the silver medal in the world competition. Undoubtedly, a participation that marks a milestone not only in Argentine beach handball, but also in South American beach handball.
Argentina won eight of the nine matches played and was one of the most effective teams, while Germany lost two of the nine matches it played and was crowned two-time world champion.
For its part, Brazil faced Croatia for the definition of the seventh place. The first set of the match was taken by the Croatians, being superior in the sand by 20:15. In the second, the green and yellow team did the same and won with a remarkable 26-18, taking the match to shoot out. Despite the efforts of the team coached by Vinicius Carlos de Oliveira, they ended up losing 10-12 on penalties, taking eighth place.
Gisella Bonomi, player of the Argentine national team: “Experience is what Germany had in this final and that was decisive in winning.” We didn’t play our best game, but we are very happy that we had a great tournament. We had every hope of winning and becoming champions, but to go from seventh place in the last championship and now be second means a lot to us.” said after the defeat.
Lucila Balsas, player of the Argentine national team: “Making a general balance of the tournament, it is very great what we have just achieved. A month ago we didn’t know if we were going to be able to travel. We came, we played the world final and it didn’t happen, but I am sure that this is the beginning of a very nice era that we are going to have in the Argentine beach handball”, said the specialist of the Kamikazes.
Results of the last day:
Final
ARG vs GER 0-2 (16:24, 18:21)
Third and fourth place
NED vs DEN 2-0 (19:18, 22:20)
15th/16th place: PUR vs USA 2-0 (15:12, 19:16)
13th/14th places: CHN vs AUS 1-2 (18:20, 21:18, SO 4:7)
12th/11th place: PHI vs NOR 0-2 (6:13, 16:18)
9th/10th places: VIE vs GRE 2-1 (30:28, 24:32, SO 8;6)
7th/8th places: BRA vs CRO 1-2 (15:20, 26:18, SO 10:12)
5th/6th places: POR vs ESP 0-2 (16:18, 8:18)
The women’s ranking was as follows:
1st Germany (GER)
2nd Argentina (ARG)
3rd Netherlands (NED)
4th Denmark (DEN)
5th Spain (ESP)
6th Portugal (POR)
7th Croatia (CRO)
8th Brazil (BRA)
9th Vietnam (VIE)
10th Greece (GRE)
11th Norway (NOR)
12th Philippines (PHI)
13th Australia (AUS)
14th People’s Republic of China (CHN)
15th Puerto Rico (PUR)
16th United States of America (USA)
In addition, Germany, Argentina, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Portugal and Vietnam qualified for the 2025 World Games and China joins the list as host country.
Photos: IHF
By Camila Miranda Torres.
