27 different sports- including handball -  were included in the programme of the Central American Games, which took place in San Jose, Costa Rica. Ten teams in total – five men’s and women’s teams each – competed in the handball tournaments. The women from Costa Rica and the men from Nicaragua were the winning sides. While the three top teams each qualified for the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico, the Costa Rican women also clinched its berth for the Pan-American Championship in June in the Dominican Republic, that will be the qualification tournament for the Women’s World Championship in Serbia in December.

Costa Rica won all matches to finish ahead of Guatemala (six points), Nicaragua (4), El Salvador (2) and Honduras (0). The men’s competition was much closer, as both Nicaragua and Guatemala had gained six points. However, Nicaragua won the direct encounter by 38:36 to decide the final ranking. Due to its draw with El Salvador and the final defeat against Guatemala, Costa Rica finished third with five points but was the only team to beat the later winner. Honduras (two points) finished fourth ahead of El Salvador (1).