Argentina claimed the men’s handball gold medal at the South American Games with an unbeaten five-match run, sealing the title after a 27:27 draw against Chile in Santa Fe. The decisive final match capped a tournament where Argentina and Chile finished level on nine points, though Argentina secured the top step of the podium on goal difference.
Argentina Secures Fourth Title in Santa Fe Climax
Argentina captured their fourth men’s handball title at the South American Games, adding to previous gold medals won in 2002, 2006, and 2022. Throughout the five-match competition, the team registered clear victories against Paraguay (27:17), Peru (41:11), and Uruguay (31:17), alongside a gritty 18:17 win over Brazil. In the tournament-closing fixture against Chile, Argentina needed only a draw to secure first place. Tobias Torossian scored eight goals to lead the Argentine attack, maintaining a narrow two-goal lead late in the match before Chile’s Maximiliano Cabrera converted at the buzzer to force a 27:27 stalemate.
The final standings placed Argentina first with nine points and a +55 goal difference. Chile finished with nine points as well, claiming the silver medal with a goal difference ten goals lower than the champions. Both finalists earned direct qualification for the 2027 Pan American Games, which serve as a qualification pathway for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Chile and Brazil Complete the Regional Podium
Chile secured their second silver medal at the South American Games, repeating their 2022 podium finish behind standout performances from Erwin Feuchtmann and Nicolas Morales. Crucial to Chile’s silver-medal campaign was a narrow 31:30 victory over Brazil, where Chile overcame an early 6:2 deficit to flip the scoreline.
Brazil finished third with six points to take the bronze medal, managing a roster missing players based in Europe as well as Pinheiros athletes competing at the 2026 IHF Men’s Club World Championship. Goalkeeper Agustin Forlino anchored Argentina’s defensive efforts, recording a 50% saving efficiency with 17 stops in the victory over Brazil. Uruguay placed fourth in the standings, earning a spot in the repechage for qualification in the event, followed by Peru and Paraguay.
Continental Double for Argentina in 2026
The men’s gold medal completed a double for Argentina at the South American Games, after their women’s team also finished first. Meanwhile, in separate competition brackets at the same South American Games in Rosario, Argentina’s rugby sevens squads also secured double gold, with the men defeating Chile 17–7 and the women’s team, Las Yaguaretés, defeating Colombia 35–5 to claim their respective titles.
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