The International Olympic Committee and World Archery have released the qualification procedure for the next Olympic Games and there are some important changes to the process for Paris 2024.
Much of the core has remained the same. Some 128 archers – 64 recurve men and 64 recurve women – will compete at the Games, with either individual (one athlete) or team (three athletes) quotas being won at a calendar of qualifying events starting with the 2023 Hyundai World Archery Championships in Berlin, Germany.
Where and how those spots can be secured is being adjusted, particularly for teams.
In recent Olympic cycles, 11 of the 12 team quota spots were available over just two events: eight for the quarterfinalists at the preceding world championships and three at the final qualifying event, with the last reserved for the host nation of the Games.
While three team tickets remain available at the final qualifier, the number of teams that qualify at the worlds has been reduced to just the three that climb the podium. The other five places will instead be awarded to the continental team champions in Europe, Asia and the Americas, plus the top two unqualified teams on the world ranking list after the final qualifier.
No quotas will be awarded to teams or mixed teams finishing below fourth or individuals finishing below eighth in a qualifying event, with the world ranking now used as the final reallocation criteria after the final qualifying event.
This removes any need for complicated secondary tournaments, especially during the continental qualifying phase for individual quotas, which now consists of standalone competitions.
The minimum ability standard for recurve men remains the same in Paris as it was for Tokyo at 640 points but the recurve women’s level has been raised by five to 610 points. Archers must achieve these scores on a 72-arrow 70-metre qualifying round during the qualification period to be eligible to compete at the Olympics.
There is a contingency for Paris to add additional quota places for refugee athletes, although this is still under discussion. If eventually implemented, it would raise the number of Olympic archers above 128 for the first time since 1992. The current quota system – and equal gender split – was introduced for the Games in Atlanta in 1996.
Paris will be the second consecutive Olympics to award five gold medals in the archery competitions following the introduction of the mixed team at Tokyo 2020. The archery schedule at Paris 2024 was released earlier this month.
Paris 2024 quotas
The 12 team quotas (36 places) per gender will be awarded across three competition phases, to the host nation and via the world ranking.
- 3 teams (9 places) – top three teams at the 2023 Hyundai World Archery Championships
- 3 teams (9 places) – continental champions in Europe, Asia and the Americas
- 3 teams (9 places) – top three teams at the final qualification tournament
- 1 team (3 places) – host nation (France)
- 2 teams (6 places) – next-highest-ranked teams on the world ranking list
The 28 individual quotas per gender will be awarded across five competition phases and via universality invitation.
- 3 places – top three athletes at the 2023 World Archery Championships
- 5 places – champions of the mixed team events at continental Games in Europe, Africa, Americas, Oceania and Asia
- 6 places – top two athletes at the continental Games in Europe, Asia and the Americas
- 10 places – top athletes at standalone continental qualification tournaments (three places in Europe; two places in Asia, Americas and Africa; one place in Oceania)
- 2 places – top two athletes at the final qualification tournament
- 2 places – universality invitations
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