Neuquén was crowned champion of the Araucanía Games

Neuquén closed in the best way its participation in the 1st National Games of the Araucanía that were defined this Sunday in Puerto Madryn, Chubut, headquarters of the closing day of the contest that brought together Patagonian teams.

The competition was played over seven days in different parts of the Patagonian region and hosted the eight sports of the competition program whose closure had soccer and basketball as protagonists both branches, which found in the definition Neuquén with Río Negro fighting for gold in three of the four disciplines – basketball and women’s football – and for bronze, in men’s football.

Governor Omar Gutiérrez and the Minister of Sports, Luis Sánchez, were from the beginning of the day encouraging young athletes in the decisive instance that took place largely in the Club Deportivo Madryn.

“I am happy for the performance of the boys and the importance of sport in Patagonia, and for how our youth adhere to and choose sport to build the future,” said the governor.

“I congratulate the boys for their talent, and the teachers and family for the support they have given them,” he said.

For his part, the Minister of Sports and President of EPADE, Luis Sanchez, said: “On behalf of all of us, who make important political decisions, we want to thank you for having played as a team. Each and every one of you are present, future and our hope “and added that” we did everything possible to make these games a success. And we did it ”.

The first celebration came from the hand of the women’s team led by Alejandro Sosa who prevailed with authority in the first duel with Río Negro whom he defeated by a wide 74 to 57 with great work from Gianella Espedale, author of 20 points. Ana Artigas and Jazmín Valdebenito also stood out.

After the celebrations and the Olympic round, it was the turn of Andrés García’s men’s team, who completed the golden day also defeating his neighbors although not with such comfort since he had to overcome an adverse start (8-13 and 17- 22). With a lot of claw and heart, Green began the climb from the third quarter, when for the first time he went to the front on the scoreboard (29-27) arriving with a six lead at the end of the third quarter (46-40) that was stretching until and close the score with a very tight 62-60, standing out among others Justino Gómez Weiss with 18 points, well accompanied by Enzo Nieva and Piero Vega, among others.

Soccer could not emulate basketball and fell into both branches. The girls led by Johana Alfaro had to settle for the silver medal. After drawing at the end of regulation time with the Rio Negro without goals in the penalty shootout, they missed one and lost 5 to 4 on the Deportivo Madryn soccer field.

While in the stadium of the Brown club, for the bronze medal the men’s team led by Manuel Gutiérrez, lost by the slightest difference in the classic and failed to get on the podium.

Neuquén closes a great tournament with triumphs in several of the team sports and individual disciplines with athletes of great projection who predict a great future.

The provinces divided the organization of the competitions and Neuquén hosted the athletics, which took place on the Ciudad Deportiva track, and the handball, which took place at the IFES complex.

The dominance of the provincial teams in a large part of the disciplines also occurred in handball, which was a sport and, consequently, did not add up to the general classification. The team led by Julián Huaiquilaf was consecrated in ladies while the men led by Fernando Dalmas, were left with the silver medal. Both definitions were also with Río Negro a preview of what was going to happen in the remaining team sports.

Women’s volleyball was another of the disciplines that managed to make the podium. Boys were sixth and men’s soccer, fourth.

In the rest of the sports Neuquén was left with the classification of athletics, swimming and cycling in the female branch, he won in men’s judo and in the same disciplines he was also on the podium in the male branch of those sports.

The contest took place in Neuquén (athletics and handball); Viedma (cycling and judo); Río Gallegos (swimming); Ushuaia (volleyball); Rawson (women’s soccer) and Puerto Madryn (basketball, both branches and men’s soccer).

The final positions were: Neuquén, 95; Chubut, 79; Rio Negro, 76; La Pampa, 62; Santa Cruz 34 and Tierra del Fuego, 31.