With just under four months remaining until the 2019 Pan American Games begin in Lima, Peru, the final decisions as to which nations contest the titles are looming. On Tuesday March 26, the women’s Last Chance Tournament to secure the final ticket to Lima 2019 will begin in Mexico City. Canada, Chile, Guatemala and Mexico will vie for the last remaining place at the continental event.

 

The women’s Last Chance Tournament will run through until Thursday March 28. The event will follow a round-robin format, with the victor clinching the berth at the Pan American Games.

 

Hosts Mexico will play the first match of their campaign on Tuesday against Canada, after Chile and Guatemala open the event earlier in the evening. On Wednesday, Chile will meet Canada and Guatemala will take on Mexico. On the final day of matches, on Thursday, Canada will play Guatemala in the first game before Mexico and Chile close the event.

 

Already qualified for the 2019 Pan American Games in the women’s competition are Brazil and Argentina, who reached Lima 2019 as the top two teams at the 2018 South American Games; Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Cuba, qualified through the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games; and the United States, who won the two-leg North Zone Qualifying play-off against Canada.

 

The men’s competition will see a two-match play-off between Chile and Colombia, with both games played in Chile on April 12 and 13. The winner of the play-off will join Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the United States, all of whom qualified via the same pathways as their respective women’s national teams. The Dominican Republic men’s side did not enjoy the same success in qualifying as their women’s team, and Mexico are the third representative of Central America and the Caribbean in the men’s Pan American Games competition.

 

The handball competitions at the 2019 Pan American Games throw off two days before the Games open, on July 24, and finish on August 3. The Games themselves run from July 26 to August 11. In each gender, eight teams will vie for the handball titles. The winners of each competition will qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

 

Women’s Last Chance Tournament - Match schedule

All times local

 

26 March

17:00     Chile vs Guatemala

19:00     Mexico vs Canada

 

27 March

17:00     Canada vs Chile

19:00     Guatemala vs Mexico

 

28 March

17:00     Canada vs Guatemala

19:00     Mexico vs Chile