Day one of the European Olympic qualifying tournament in Essen is over and all the favorites are still there. The decisions on the three individual quota places for the Olympic Games in Paris will be made on Monday, May 6th, in the Am Hallo stadium.
Well-known names like Steve Wijler (NED), Mauro Nespoli (ITA) and Gaby Schloesser (NED) prevailed under cloudy skies and light winds and are in the quarter-finals. But young, aspiring athletes like 17-year-old Turkish Elif Berra Gokkir or Quinty Roeffen (NED), who is one year older, are still two victories away from the big goal – a quota place for the Olympics in Paris.
The men’s favorites were already in the lead in qualifying: Steve Wijler (NED) won with 675 rings, the Olympic silver medalist in Tokyo, the Italian Mauro Nespoli, took third place (668 rings). In the women’s category, the young Turkish woman Elif Berra Gokkir left the grass field in the Am Hallo stadium as the leader. With her 665 rings, she was only one ring below her best performance and in the end was eight rings ahead of second place, the Austrian Elisabeth Straka.
Before the final decision on the individual places on May 6th and the awarding of one team quota place on May 12th, the European archers won the following quota places for Paris 2024:
Team women: Germany, France
Team men: Türkiye, France
Singles women: Czech Republic, Spain, Great Britain and Italy
Singles men: Germany, Spain and Moldova
1/8 finals of the Olympic qualification tournament in Essen
Women
Elif Berra Gokkir (TUR) vs. Urska Cavid (SLO)
Gaby Schloesser (NED) vs. Reena Parnat (EST)
Anastasia Pavlova (UKR) vs. Quinty Roeffen (NED)
Mikaella Moshe (ISR) vs. Elisabeth Straka (AUT)
Men
Steve Wijler (NED) vs. Keziah Chabin (SUI)
Ziga Ravnikar (SLO) vs. Den Habjan Malavasic (SLO)
Mauro Nespoli (ITA) vs. Mykhailo Usach (UKR)
Conor Hall (GBR) vs. Senna Roos (NED)
Statements:
Steve Wijler: The qualification was pretty good, the conditions were kind of tricky because the wind changes a lot. There was a time I shot a right or left eight but in the qualification you can shoot four arrows in such way. In matches it was kind of difficult, Jeff Henckels shot very good and I need the shootoff. It is a normal tournament, I just try to see that´s are just 70 meters, I don´t want to make more of it because it is an Olympic Qualifier. We had more opportunities in the past and there will be more in the future. I try to see it as a normal competition, I am just here to do my best.
Mauro Nespoli: It was not easy in the qualification because the wind changed the direction many times. Sometimes we made big mistakes and I lost a lot of points. I checked my mind and the conditions were easier than in the morning but the matches are difficult. I shot very well at the end of the second match and I need to prove my skills and my mind for tomorrow. Quarter- and semifinal will be other than today and I expect to be in the finals because I want to be in Paris. I feel a little bit pressure, this tournament is the first way to be in Paris, it is important to keep a food in the Olympic Games and later three men. It doesn´t matter when and how.
Elisabeth Straka: The day went great, it couldn’t have gone better. I shot almost my best and being so far ahead gave me confidence for the matches. It’s gotten better and better and the last match was great. I’ll approach the day tomorrow the same way I always do, and my coach also told me: “Do what you can.” No longer want it, but focus on yourself.
Elif Berra Gokkir: I’m happy and excited for tomorrow, today was a great day for me. There is no special pressure, it is a competition like any other.