Six countries add Olympic spots after European individual qualifier

Steve Wijler and Senna Roos faced each other in the gold medal match at the continental qualifier.

Steve Wijler (Netherlands), Ziga Ravnikar (Slovenia) and Mykhailo Usach (Ukraine) won recurve men’s tickets to Paris 2024 this afternoon in Essen, joining the recurve women from Austria, Estonia and Ukraine who booked Olympics tickets in the morning.

Dutch archers controlled the men’s bracket and controlled the day.

After Wijler won the opening quarterfinal match, Ravnikar beat Slovenian teammate Den Habjan and Usach shocked world number three (and defending Olympic silver medallist Mauro Nespoli. It left Senna Roos in control of several archers’ destinies.

“Today I just became the number one Netherlands fan I guess,” said Ravnikar.

Second-seed Roos crumbled in regulation against Conor Hall – but in the tiebreak, he found his centre… and the centre. The shoot-off maximum, eliminating the Brit, meant he would survive in the tournament and that both Ravnikar and Usach would secure Olympic spots for Slovenia and Ukraine.

(Nations could win a maximum of one spot in this event. Two Dutch archers in the final four meant only three countries remained.)

The quarterfinal matches were critical, too. Although archers win quota places for their countries rather than qualifying personally, at this late stage many nations assign spots to the athletes that secure them.

“It was a hard match between me and Den, but it’s me who won in the end,” said Ravnikar.

Mykhailo Usach shooting for third place in Essen continental qualifier.

The day would end with an all-Dutch final between Wijler and Roos.

Steve is already an Olympic medallist, having taken mixed team silver with Gaby Schloesser at the last Games – when the pairs event was introduced.

He staked his claim on a return to the big dance with a clean win over Roos in the final, 6-2.

“I feel super satisfied of course, the Olympic quota was our main objective, and the moment Senna won his match, we knew it was in,” said gold medallist Wijler. “I’m happy that we got it.”

“It’s always very difficult to win these kinds of matches. Yesterday, we were in a kind of a rhythm and today we had to start all over again.”

The Dutch archers will return to the field later this week – not as opponents but in an attempt to upgrade the individual spot to a team quota as winners of the European Archery Championships.

Competition in Essen continues with qualifying for that event on Wednesday.

Coverage of the weekend’s finals is available to watch worldwide with a subscription to archery+.

Podium: Recurve men

  1. Steve Wijler, Netherlands (Olympic quota)
  2. Senna Roos, Netherlands
  3. Ziga Ravnikar, Slovenia (Olympic quota)
  4. Mykhailo Usach, Ukraine (Olympic quota)

Olympic quotas won at the European qualifier

  • Austria: 1 (1 woman)
  • Estonia: 1 (1 woman)
  • Netherlands (1 man)
  • Slovenia: 1 (1 man)
  • Türkiye 1 (1 woman)
  • Ukraine: 1 (1 man)

One team place per gender will be awarded during the championships.

Quota tracker: 2024 Olympics

Correct as of the end of competition at the European individual qualifier on 6 May 2024.

  • Argentina: 1 (1 man)
  • Australia: 2 (1 man, 1 woman)
  • Austria: 1 (1 woman)
  • BRA flag Brazil: 2 (1 man, 1 woman)
  • CAN flag Canada: 2 (1 man, 1 woman)
  • CHA flag Chad: 2 (1 man, 1 woman)
  • CHI flag Chile: 1 (1 man)
  • CAN flag China: 2 (1 man, 1 woman)
  • TPE flag Chinese Taipei: 2 (1 man, 1 woman)
  • COL flag Colombia: 4 (3 men, 1 woman)
  • CZE flag Czech Republic: 1 (1 woman)
  • EGY flag Egypt: 2 (1 man, 1 woman)
  • Estonia: 1 (1 woman)
  • Fiji: 1 (1 woman)
  • FRA flag France: 6 (3 men, 3 women)
  • GER flag Germany: 4 (1 man, 3 women)
  • GBR flag Great Britain: 1 (1 woman)
  • IND flag India: 1 (1 man)
  • INA flag Indonesia: 2 (1 man, 1 woman)
  • ITA flag Italy: 1 (1 woman)
  • JPN flag Japan: 4 (3 men, 1 woman)
  • KAZ flag Kazakhstan: 3 (3 men)
  • KOR flag Korea: 6 (3 men, 3 women)
  • MEX flag Mexico: 4 (3 women, 1 man)
  • MAS flag Malaysia: 1 (1 woman)
  • MDA flag Moldova: 1 (1 man)
  • CAN flag Mongolia: 1 (1 man)
  • Netherlands (1 man)
  • New Zealand: 1 (1 man)
  • Puerto Rico: 1 (1 woman)
  • Slovenia: 1 (1 man)
  • RSA flag South Africa: 1 (1 man)
  • ESP flag Spain: 2 (1 man, 1 woman)
  • TUN flag Tunisia: 1 (1 woman)
  • TUR flag Türkiye: 4 (3 men, 1 woman)
  • Ukraine: 1 (1 man)
  • USA flag USA: 4 (1 man, 3 women)
  • US Virgin Islands: 1 (1 man)
  • UZB flag Uzbekistan: 1 (1 woman)¨

There are currently 39 nations qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

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