Team Handball

Guadalajara, Mexico to Host 2011 Pan American Games

Guadalajara, Mexico, was unanimously selected by delegates of the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) to host the 2011 Pan American Games. As the only city to officially bid, Guadalajara’s selection was virtually guaranteed. San Antonio, Texas, which bid in 2007 had considered bidding, but declined to do so for 2011. While the Pan Am Games is a minor event for many sports, it is a very important for Team Handball as the Gold Medal winner secures the one guaranteed Pan American slot for the Olympics. The 2007 Pan Am Games will be in Rio de Janeiro and this home court advantage, plus Brazil’s recent on-court performances suggest that both their Women’s and Men’s team will be strongly favored to win. Projecting out 5 years is tougher to predict, but suffice to say Mexico will be a more neutral location and taking the Gold in 2011 should be a more wide open competition.

posted by John Ryan @ 9:35 AM