Odir Jacques resigned as manager of Herediano on Saturday and was immediately replaced by assistant coach and former Costa Rican national team striker Claudio Miguel Jara, the club announced on its website. No reason was given for the resignation of the 66-year-old Brazilian in the three-sentence release issued by the club. Herediano won its CONCACAF Champions League opener, 1-0 over Rea...

The Guatemalan congress on Thursday bestowed the Order of the Sovereign Congress in the grade of Gran Caballero upon athlete Erick Barrondo, who won the silver medal in the 20-kilometer walk at the 2012 London Olympics. Congressional speaker Gudy Rivera, after presenting the award to the racewalker, expressed his gratitude for the efforts Guatemala’s other athletes who participated in Londo...

CONCACAF champion Costa Rica was placed with host Thailand, Ukraine and Paraguay for the first round of the Futsal World Cup at Friday's draw for the seventh edition of the tournament. Fellow CONCACAF side Guatemala was joined with Russia, the Solomon Islands and Colombia; Panama was put in with Spain, Iran and Morcco; while Mexico was drawn with Argentina, Italy and Australia for the Novem...

Strong pitching, solid defense and powerful bats have carried the team from Tokyo to a berth in the international final at the World Series following a 4-1 victory over Panama on Wednesday. Kotaro Kiyomiya homered in the first, and starter Ryuji Osada struck out seven. The left-handed Kiyomiya displayed prodigious power for a 13-year-old slugger. His blast landed nearly halfway up the hi...

New Sounders midfielder Mario Martinez, who participated in the London Olympics with the Honduras national team, mentioned today that he will be re-joining that team next month for Olympic qualifying. “I think the Olympics was a big step; coming here to Seattle is another big step. In September, I’ll be with the national team playing,” he said. “So, yeah, I think if you look at it all toget...

Battery Energy drink friends in Costa Rica will be happy to hear that the Battery Energy Drink product family is growing. The Battery Hydro 33cl can is joining Battery Original, Sugarfree and Gingered on store shelves all over the country. With the launch of Battery Hydro, a new era of energy drinks has begun in Costa Rica. Battery Hydro combines three functionalities in one product: energy...

Costa Rica exploded onto the adventure sports map in the last decade with its world-class surfing, sport fishing, river rafting, and motorcycle trails. Tourists from around the globe journeyed down to this safe, stable Central American country to experience the warm ocean waters, the unmatched biodiversity of the rain forests and the adventure possibilities this generous country has to offer....

Costa Rican boxer Alejandro "Timon" Martinez, who went into a coma after a fight in Mexico in 2009, passed away late Saturday night in his native Costa Rica. According to his family, Martinez died of pneumonia, ending his life at age 27. Martinez spent three years in a coma after taking a beating in his fight against former IBF super flyweight champion Juan Alberto "Topo" Rosas, in July of ...

Article by Joe Walsh of Witches Rock Surf Camp. Surfing is one of those special things in life that grabs ahold of you and turns your world upside down. All of a sudden your mind is consumed with thoughts of riding waves, wondering what the wind is going to do, setting your alarm for earlier than you used to set it, so on and so forth. The thrill of gliding across the open face of a wave is...

Carlos Munoz and Lucia Martino have taken the 2012 Airwalk Lacanau Pro Junior, at the main break of La Grande Plage in Lacanau. Clean 3-4ft surf saw Carlos Munoz opening his wave count with an excellent 8.67 and backing it up quickly with a 7.17 to take the heat lead, which he never then let go. The flying Costa Rican left without pressure, started building momentum and found the best wa...

The New York Yankees have signed two Nicaraguan pitching prospects, Corby McCoy and Luis Garcia, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America. McCoy, 16, signed for $150,000 and is one of Nicaragua's best pitchers. At 6'3", 170 pounds, the young left-hander has an athletic, projectable body. His velocity has ranged from 85-88 mph in the past, but Badler reports McCoy's fastball has touched as hig...

Carlos Pascal, president of Limon F.C. -a Caribbean football team that has played in the First Division in Costa Rica- is scheduled to stand trial starting today and through the end of August. Mr. Pascal faces criminal charges of laundering more than $30 million over the last few years, according to a news report published by online newspaper Costa Rica Hoy earlier today. An investigation conduct...

Canadian Simon Whitfield dreams of London Olympic gold literally came crashing down this week. The defending silver medalist in the men’s triathlon, he said his bike hit a “speed bump” early in the cycling stage in Hyde Park. The damage both to the bike and the athlete necessitated his pulling out of the race. During the crash, his bike made contact with that of Leonardo Chacon of Costa ...

Nicaragua’s Cerro Negro volcano has erupted 23 times in the past 100 years, burying homes, crops and people in lava and ashes. But recently the menacing black mountain has become a tourist draw, thanks to a newly invented extreme sport: volcano boarding. Thousands of thrill-seekers have climbed to the top of Cerro Negro, peered into its crater, then zipped down its rough-and-rocky 41-deg...

Guatemalan lawmakers approved Tuesday a decoration for racewalker Erick Barrondo in honor of his winning a silver medal last weekend in the 20-kilometer walk at the 2012 London Olympics. The 116 members present at the session voted unanimously in favor of making Guatemala's first-ever medal winner a Knight of the Order of the Sovereign Congress. Barrondo will also receive $64,000. "If...

Erick Barrondo made history at the London 2012 Olympic Games on Saturday, as he won Guatemala’s first-ever Olympic medal after claiming silver in the men’s 20km walk behind China's Chen Ding. The 21-year-old came through strongly on the final lap after lying fourth at the bell to take the silver medal in 1:18:57, with Chen finishing in 1:18:46. "I can't believe it; I am very happy,” said...

Brazil progressed to the semifinals of the London 2012 football tournament with a battling 3-2 win over nine-man Honduras. Honduras took a surprise lead when Mario Martinez chipped home from close range, before Damiao prodded into an empty net to level. The Central Americans re-took the lead through Roger Espinoza before a Neymar spot-kick and a second from Damiao earned the Brazilians the ...

The Universidad Metropolitana (UNIMET) of Caracas, Venezuela, and the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) of San Jose recently held their closing ceremonies for the FIFA / CIES Programme in sport management organized in their respective country. Nearly fifty students graduated after presenting a working paper on a national sport issue. UNIMET closed the second edition of the FIFA / CIES Program...

The Belize Dart Federation was the host during the past week of two international dart tournaments – the Americas Cup 2012 and the Caribbean Cup 2012, both held at the Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel at Mile 3 on the Northern Highway from July 20 to 30. Male and female players from the USA, Canada, Brazil, as well as Caribbean islands, Barbados, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and Trinidad & Tobago, ...

Toronto FC may not have much to brag about this season when it comes to their record in Major League Soccer. But when it comes to competing in the CONCACAF Champions League, they're a different team altogether. Toronto's soccer side put on a dominating performance — before a troublingly sparse crowd at BMO Field — in defeating El Salvador's Club Deportivo Aguila 5-1 on Wednesday night. ...

The U.S. women’s soccer team has lined up its first post-Olympics match. U.S. Soccer said Tuesday that the Americans will face Costa Rica in Rochester, N.Y., on Sept. 1. Rochester is the hometown of forward Abby Wambach, who is chasing Mia Hamm’s record for international goals. The team typically plays in a U.S. celebration tour after the Olympics. The players aren’t sure which color ...

Brampton’s Dave Fernando recently became the first Canadian badminton coach to conduct a series of clinics in Costa Rica. “Badminton is at the introduction stage in Costa Rica and I was honoured to be invited to promote the sport to youth and adults in San Jose and other surrounding areas,” said Fernando. The programs were conducted for beginner and intermediate-level players and more th...

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has its eyes on Panama’s scandal ridden Olympic Committee (COP). On Sunday, July 29 IOC president Jacques Rogge, told Panama President Ricardo Martinelli that the IOC is "following closely" elections scheduled for December to resolve the conflict over the COP. According to the IOC, the meeting between Rogge and Martinelli was "fruitful" and the P...

As an initiative organized by FOMILENIO and Millennium Challenge Corporation funded by the U.S. Government (2007-2012), part of a project to promote the north of El Salvador included the Guachipilin Classic Downhill skateboard competition. Part of the project to promote the north of El Salvador FOMILENIO present for the first time in El Salvador an event with the perfect combination of adre...

COATEPEQUE, Guatemala - Jairo Jimenez scored a 77th-minute winner and 10-man Panama beat Guatemala 1-0 on Sunday to send itself and El Salvador to the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship. All three teams finished with three points and an identical zero goal difference from three matches, but Friday's 4-3 victory by El Salvador over Panama was the difference, as both qualified for the CONCACAF fi...

LONDON: Spain crashed out of the Olympic football tournament Saturday after the world and European champions suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Honduras at Newcastle's St James' Park. Jerry Bengtson's seventh-minute header was all that separated the sides in a stunning victory for the Central Americans that meant Spain could not qualify out of Group D following their opening defeat by Japan. I...

There are critics who expressed themselves in real time, such as British designer Stella McCartney. As reported by E!'s Fashion Police, McCartney disavowed any responsibility for the outfits worn by British athletes. McCartney tweeted: "designed the Team GB performance kit, podium suit & villagewear, not the Olympic ceremony suits." In other words, don't blame me for the gold and white h...

Panamanian boxer Juan Huertas lost his opening contest but won experience in the London Olympics on Sunday, July 29, while calling on Panama’s authorities to give more support to amateur boxing. Huertas lost to Puerto Rico's Felix Sanchez Verdejo, in the 60 kilos division but said on RPC Channel 4": In this fight I won experience and hope to continue improving said the 20 year old who ma...

Latin American and Caribbean countries are hoping the London Olympics, which officially kicked off Friday, offer them a chance for more medals than the 2008 Beijing edition. The countries which are certain to better their Olympic previous performances are Brazil, Cuba, Argentina, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Panama, which together brought home 11 gold medals from Beijing, Xinhua repor...

There are some photos that have surfaced - courtesy of TMZ - of Tom Brady apparently cliff-diving in Costa Rica prior to arriving in Foxboro for training camp. Obviously, that’s not the safest activity for the Patriots quarterback to embark on, and one that might be considered a violation of team rules. How might that be handled by the Patriots, Bill Belichick was asked during his press bri...

It’s been far too long since the last installment of what was supposed to be a weekly column, and for that I apologize. As I type these words I’m en route to London to reunite with my athlete, Costa Rican marathoner Cesar Lizano, who will line up for the Olympic Marathon on August 12. It’s hard to believe that after seven months of preparation we’re almost done putting the finishing touches on...

With only 1 day to go before the opening of the Olympic Games in London, Panama unexpectedly added another competitor to the team bringing the total to eight. The news came as a surprise to the country and to the new addition, swimmer Diego Castillo, who was initially classified under the brand B (invitational), because initially his time was not ruled fast enough in tryouts. "The truth...

HEREDIA, Costa Rica - Jose Miguel Cubero remembers last year's experience in the CONCACAF Champions League. After his club Herediano club routed Guyanese amateur side Alpha United in the Preliminary Round 10-2 on aggregate, the 22-time Costa Rican champion lost three straight to start the Group Stage, beginning with a 5-0 loss to eventual champion Monterrey. Cubero and his teammates are...

Youth For Christ's local Platform Skate Shop, which specialized in skateboard equipment, may be closed, but its owner Steve Hildebrand hopes to continue the opportunity to get kids engaged in the healthy activity of skateboarding. Hildebrand and his family will be heading to Costa Rica in the fall to embark on a 10-month project for Youth For Christ's skateboard program Hildebrand, from ...

WBA interim super featherweight champion Bryan Vasquez will be defending his title today against experienced Mexican Jorge Lacierva, in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, and if the bout looks anything like the Thursday press conference, fans can expect some heated action. Vasquez, age 24, is from San Jose, Costa Rica. He holds a 28-0 record, with 14 KOs. Lacierva, age 34, with a 41-8-6 reco...

Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago had a tough competition in the final match for the 9th position at the XI Women’s Pan American Cup on Thursday. CRC started the match on a good note and secured first set, 25-19. The Trinidadians responded right away and tied the game score by winning second frame (25-21). The see-saw battle continued and Costa Rica retook the lead with third-set win, 25-15....

Entrepreneurs, upwardly mobile business owners, and corporate executives are increasingly hitting the waves rather than the golf course to network, blow off steam and even come up with their next venture. Shah Gilani covered the growing phenomenon in a recent Forbes column, citing the Kalon Surf school as one of the movement's key incubators. "We have pretty much an equal number of men and ...

When it comes to Costa Rica, Gilbert Brown is The Man. He’s the guy you call to find out the right tide, the right wind, the right spot… except he doesn’t ever answer cause he’s already out there. Getting the right wave. More than that, Gilbert is just a living embodiment of CR’s pura vida, climbing coconut trees, fishing with handlines and cooling in the shade even when he’s out surfing. F...

The Costa Rica Star previously reported on the Science Behind the Success of Nery Brenes, the article below details more about the man on a mission. Hardly a day passes in Limon when the streets aren’t drenched in shades of scarlet, and a limonese family isn’t mourning the loss of a dear one. Consumed by murderous gang-wars and a burgeoning drug trade, the impoverished town in Costa Rica’s Cari...

Despite having the advantage of familiar conditions and the stupendous support of local fans, Mexico lost its third match of the XI Women's Pan Am Cup to Costa Rica on Friday. The visiting team exhibited a spectacular show of volleyball and finished the match with following result: 3-1 (25-27, 25-18, 25-20, 25-23). The match was hotly contested and scoring was intensely tight from first frame t...