Mumbai: Argentina won the title in the 2024 Junior Pan American Championships as three teams from the region confirmed their berths in the next Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup to be held in India in December 2025. Canada and Chile finished as silver and bronze medallists in the men’s competition, joining gold medalists Argentina in qualifying for the World Cup.
Three slots were available for the PanAm region, at the expanded 24-team FIH Hockey Junior World Cup 2025. In the women’s section, four slots were available from the area, and it was the United States with silver, Chile with bronze, and Uruguay who finished fourth joining gold medalists Argentina in qualifying for the upcoming Junior World Cup.
In the men’s section of the 2024 Junior Pan American Championships, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, and the United States competed in a round-robin stage first, with the top four teams qualifying for the semifinals.
Argentina topped the pool with 15 points, registering five wins in five, followed by Canada in second with 10 points. Chile were close behind with nine points and the United States were the final team to make the semifinal with seven points keeping them 4th on the table.
Argentina made it past the United States in the first semifinal, winning 3-0. The second semifinal was a much closer affair, but Canada managed to hold on to their lead in the dying moments and make it into the final, defeating Chile 3-2.
With a spot in the finals confirmed, both Argentina and Canada had already secured qualification for the Junior World Cup in India. They were joined by Chile who got the better of the United States in the bronze medal match to seal the third and final World Cup qualification spot from PanAm.
The men’s final was a one-sided affair, as Argentina recorded a 10-0 win over Canada, with seven different players getting on the scoresheet, to claim the gold.
Despite losing out in the final, a silver medal and a spot in the World Cup is a good showing for the Canadian side who will make their fifth straight appearance in the event during the 2025 edition.
In the women’s competition, Argentina, the USA, Chile, and Uruguay qualified for the semifinal from the round-robin stage first, with the top four teams qualifying for the semifinals. The host for the Junior Women’s World Cup is yet to be determined.
(IANS)
