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Who can win Olympic places at the final qualifier in Paris?

16 June 2021

Paris, France

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France celebrates winning a team quota for Rio 2016 at the final qualifier.

Updated on 18 June with extra men’s quota place added.

The very last quota places for the archery competitions at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be won over three days this weekend in the French capital of Paris.

It’s a simple schedule:

Saturday 19 June: Men’s team
Sunday 20 June: Women’s team
Monday 21 June: Individual

In total, there are 24 places up for grabs – and 70 countries looking to earn, add or augment their spots at the Olympics. It’s going to be a brutally competitive event.

There are 39 recurve men’s teams and 28 recurve women’s teams competing for the three available team quota places in each gender.

Given that only 24 will even advance for the eliminations phase of the event – there’s a cut – qualifying takes on an even more important role for nations with Olympic aspirations.

And there’s a maximum of three archers per nation per gender at this tournament – like at the Olympics, but unlike on the Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit, where a fourth is permitted – so everyone needs to be at their best. One bad score could torpedo a team’s chances. There’s no room for a slip-up.

We’re less than a week away from our list of final qualifiers for Tokyo 2020. Here’s who remains in contention for the last remaining spots.

Recurve men's team

Who’s already qualified? Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, Great Britain, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea and the Netherlands.

Who’s competing in Paris? Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Uzbekistan and Venezuela.

What’s the story? What a daunting line-up. So many nations – many of which have experienced past success, recent or otherwise – with one day in which to fulfil their Olympic aspirations.

France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Spain and the back-to-back Olympic team silver medallists USA would all be significant omissions should they fail to secure spots.

At least five of them won’t.

The hot hand this year is Spain's men's team, led by European Champion anchor Pablo Acha, who are up to third in the world rankings following a slew of impressive performances to open the year.

Can Malaysia overcome the tragic loss of Haziq Kamaruddin to still qualify a squad?

There’s probably too much competition for a surprise team to emerge from the pack, with four match wins needed to take a ticket. But since it’s all happening on just one day, qualification in the morning and quota eliminations in the afternoon, you just never know…

Who are the favourites? Italy, Russia and Spain.

Recurve women's team

Who’s already qualified? Belarus, China, Chinese Taipei, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Korea, Russia and Ukraine.

Who’s competing in Paris? Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Indonesia, India, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Slovakia, Sweden, Turkey, USA and Uzbekistan.

What’s the story? If you were to assume that sports went to script, you’d say that India and Mexico should finish top three – and take quotas – during Sunday’s event. But that’s just not how things work, is it?

That said, the two squads’ line-ups – Aida Roman, Alejandra Valencia and Ana Vazquez for Mexico; Deepika Kumari, Komalika Bari and Ankita Bhakat for India – are really good. Both are a mix of pedigree and potential.

Georgia has long been a threat in the women’s team event.

Colombia, Denmark, Italy, Spain and, potentially, Turkey wouldn’t be considered outsiders to qualify. Though it really could be anyone in that third spot.

Who are the favourites? India and Mexico.

Individuals

Which men are competing? Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong China, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Moldova, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Sweden, Thailand, Tajikistan, Ukraine, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Yemen.

Which women are competing? Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Ireland, Iceland, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Yemen.

What’s the story? As it stands, there are men representing 47 nations and women from 30 countries going for the three and two quota places, respectively.

However, the number of available spots is likely to change following the team results. (If a team with one quota place upgrades to a full three-athlete team quota, the initial place goes back into the pot for the individual qualifier. So each count could go up as much as three.)

There’s no use trying to pick favourites from that pool – but there’s only one archer ranked in the top 10 in the world, the US Virgin Islands’ Nicholas D’Amour, who’s destined to compete.

World ranking, unfortunately for D'Amour, means very little at a critical event like this with a ticket to Tokyo on the line.