Starting this Friday, the ‘Ave Fénix’ Sports Development Center will become the epicenter of national goalball, hosting the first date of the 2024 season of the Interior League with the participation of teams from San Luis, Córdoba, Tucumán and Mendoza .
From this Friday until Sunday, the first date of the Interior Goalball League will be played at the ‘Ave Fénix’ covered stadium. Teams from Córdoba, Tucumán, Mendoza and the local ‘Los Fénix’ will face each other in a competition that promises emotions and adrenaline. Although the teams from Salta and Villa Mercedes are also part of the competition, they will not be present on this opening day. In total, there are four dates that make up the League, with venues in Tucumán (July 6 to 8), Salta (in September) and Córdoba (last date).
The host team, ‘Los Fénix’, arrives with high expectations after leading much of the 2023 season, although they finally finished in third position by not being able to participate in the last date played in Tucumán. “Both the juniors and seniors are growing year after year and we are very excited about this project,” said Yamila Córdoba, organizer of the event and one of the founders of the team.
Córdoba also highlighted that ‘Los Fénix’ are the first adapted sports team in the province, formed in 2016, and that they have obtained excellent results, even with players in the Argentine Goalball Team. “This year we were able to train again in the ‘Ave Fénix’, which is very good for us because it is our nest and our name has to do with the fact that we were born, grew up and developed in that place,” he added.
The opening ceremony will be this Friday at 6:00 p.m., with the competition starting half an hour later. On Saturday, the matches will begin at 9:00, while on Sunday they will start at 10:00. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 12:30 on Sunday, all in the ‘Ave Fénix’ covered stadium.
What is goalball? An inclusive and exciting sport
Goalball is a Paralympic sport designed specifically for people with visual impairments. It is played on a field similar to volleyball, where two teams of three players each try to roll a ball with built-in bells toward the opposing team’s goal. Participants play with eye patches and opaque glasses, move while lying down and use their entire body to catch the ball, which requires good physical condition, listening and tactical skills.
