2024 Junior Pan American Championships Preview
Portions of Content Courtesy of PAHF
In just a few days, from July 3 to 12, the 2024 Junior Pan American Championships (JPAC) will begin at Tamanawis Park in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. The top three teams in both the men's and women's divisions will qualify for the 2025 FIH Hockey Junior World Cup (JWC).
This edition will follow a single round-robin format, with the top team facing the fourth-placed team and the second-placed team facing the third-placed team in the semifinals. In the women's category, the participating teams are No. 2 Argentina, No. 7 USA, No. 15 Canada, No. 16 Chile, No. 23 Uruguay and No. 39 Mexico. In the men's group, the teams are No. 3 Argentina, No. 14 Canada, No. 17 Chile, No. 25 USA, No. 25 Brazil and No. 44 Mexico.
USA is the defending champion on the women’s side, having won the 2023 JPAC in Saint Michal, Barbados by defeating Argentina in a shootout. However, the performance of Las Leoncitas at the 2023 JWC in Santiago, Chile, where they won the silver medal after losing to the Netherlands in the final, puts them in strong contention for gold. The Junior Eagles fell short of expectations, finishing tenth after a loss to India. There could very well be a repeat of the last continental final between these two women's teams, just as it happened in April last year.
Valentina Férola is a member of Argentina at both the JPAC and JWC last year, and now she has another opportunity. "Wearing my country's jersey again means a lot to me. It is very satisfying, especially knowing all the dedication and effort behind it. I think the [Junior] World Cup was a very different tournament from the one we are about to play, but it undoubtedly taught and helped all of us who played it to grow a lot. Luckily, we have the chance to pass on this experience to the newcomers,” said the experienced player of Las Leoncitas. She added, “Argentina always aims to be at the top.”
Her Chilean counterpart, although from a different position as a goalkeeper, also spoke about how Las Diablitas are preparing. In Barbados, they won the bronze medal (although they already had their spot secured as the host), and this season, the goal is to “improve past performances,” according to Monserrat Araya. “We are a young, new team, but we also have players with a lot of experience, so another achievement could be to grow individually and as a group. Qualifying for the next [Junior] World Cup could be really significant for us. Now it's everyone against everyone, which makes it more challenging,” concluded the goalkeeper.
Uruguay is a team that always wants to surpass itself and aims to go further each time. Elisa Civetta is one of the most experienced players on the team. “It is an honor to represent my country, and sharing it with friends who are on the same wavelength makes it incomparable. We have a clear goal of seeking qualification for the [Junior] World Cup. We have gone through an intense process and have the tools to achieve it. We want to rise to the occasion and make history again,” concluded one of Las Cimarroncitas.
The previous Junior Pan American Championship ended as follows for the women: USA in first, Argentina runner-up, Chile completing the podium, Canada 4th, Uruguay 5th, Guyana 6th, and Barbados 7th.
A dominant force at the JPAC, Argentina has won the men’s competition every year – except in 2021, when Chile disrupted their 11 consecutive win streak. The story of Los Leoncitos’ Ignacio Nardolillo is quite particular. After missing out on the 2021 JPAC due to COVID-19 and in 2023 because of an injury, Nardolillo is excited to defend the title alongside his teammates. “It was a shorter, quicker process compared to others I have been part of. We prepared with the seriousness this tournament demands, as it qualifies you for the [Junior] World Cup. We are going to be well-prepared and will do everything to win and stay at the top. We are very eager to be there already,” explained the midfielder.
Last year in Barbados, the USA men finished just short of their goal of JWC qualification, falling to Chile in the bronze medal match. The captain of the U-21 USMNT, Namit Mangat, stated, “This is what I longed for when I started playing hockey. So, being the team captain in such a high-level tournament is a feeling I can't describe. We want to qualify, and I will do everything I can to lead the team to a gold medal. We have a great team and will take advantage of that,” concluded the young player.
In the men's category, the standings in the last edition ended with Argentina as champion, followed by Canada, bronze for Chile, USA 4th, Guyana 5th, Brazil 6th, and Barbados 7th.
The 2024 JPAC will be live streamed through Watch.Hockey. Fans can purchase the tournament pass, which includes live stream and replays of all 40 matches, from Watch.Hockey for $34.99, not including taxes and fees.
For more information about the 2024 Junior Pan American Championship, visit the event page.