Thread: 2024 Paris Olympic Games

Olympic Committee selects Salt Lake City as likely host for 2034 Winter Games

Salt Lake City has been selected as the preferred host for the 2034 Winter Games, the International Olympic Committee executive board announced Wednesday.

Driving the news: Local officials broadcasted the IOC announcement in real time outside the Salt Lake City & County Building, prompting cheers from the crowd. The announcement comes as the IOC convenes in Paris this week.

• Meanwhile, the board favored the French Alps as the site for the 2030 Winter Olympics.

What to watch: The IOC will now enter into "targeted dialogue" with Salt Lake City to finalize contracts and plans to host the second Winter Games in the Beehive State since 2002.

• The hosts for 2030 and 2034 will be formally announced in Paris next summer.

Catch up quick: Last month, the board confirmed Utah's capital city was the sole candidate to host the international sporting event in 2034.

What they're saying: "We are so ready for this," said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall during the Wednesday news conference. "We are ready to lock it in."

• "It's a huge deal. There are lots of countries and cities that would give anything to get an event like this, where the eyes of the world are here," Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox told reporters. "It's great for our economy. It's great for our citizens."

Flashback: Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Games in 2002.

• Utah's largest city was an attractive candidate this time around because Olympic venues built for the 2002 Games remain in use for recreational and training purposes.

The intrigue: Utah has a history of training and churning out Olympic athletes.

• During the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, more than a third of the U.S. team was either from Utah, attended school in or trained in the state for more than six months, per the Deseret News.

Of note: Salt Lake City initially bid to host in 2030, but preferred 2034 to avoid competing for sponsors with the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

By the numbers: A Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll conducted in January found 82% of respondents favored Utah hosting another Winter Games.

• Paris Olympics 2024: Who has been selected to compete for Team GB?

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games will begin on 26 July and run until 11 August.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland are set to send more than 350 athletes as they aim to surpass the 64 medals, including 22 golds, won at Tokyo 2020.

Below are the confirmed names for Paris 2024 so far, with further team announcements being made in the coming months.

Canoe slalom

Team GB athletes confirmed

Adam Burgess - Men's canoe single (C1)
Joe Clarke - Men's kayak single (K1) & kayak cross
Mallory Franklin - Women's canoe single (C1) & kayak cross
Kimberley Woods - Women's kayak single (K1) & kayak cross

Sailing

Team GB athletes confirmed

Emma Wilson - Women's iQFoil (windsurfing)
Sam Sills - Men's iQFoil (windsurfing)
Freya Black - Women's skiff (49erFX)
Saskia Tidey - Women's skiff (49erFX)
James Peters - Men's skiff (49er)
Fynn Sterritt - Men's skiff (49er)
Anna Burnet - Mixed multihull (Nacra 17)
Ellie Aldridge - Mixed multihull (Nacra 17)
Elliot Hanson - Women's kite (Formula Kite)
Michael Beckett - Men's dinghy (ILCA 7)

• Tauranga speed climbers to 2024 Paris Olympics

Two of our very own Tauranga speed climbers have qualified to represent New Zealand in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Sarah Tetzlaff and Julian David are the first New Zealand climbers to ever qualify for an Olympic Games.

The athletes managed to take their wins at the Oceania qualifier in Melbourne overnight.

Competing in the speed climbing discipline, Junior World Champion Julian David (18, Tauranga) breezed through the opening rounds to make the men’s final.

Up against Australian Hayden Barton in the gold medal race David was clinical, finishing in 6.77s to Barton’s 7.5s.

“I cannot believe it.

“I’ve dreamed of all sorts of outcomes.

“I’ve woken up at night thinking oh man what if this happens’ and it has actually happened so it’s absolutely surreal,” said David.

“I have a bit of an off season now for a month and then I will hit 2024 in full training and see what I can come out with at the end.”

Tetzlaff then won a close final against Australia’s Grace Crowley to claim her gold medal.

The Tauranga based climber scaling the wall in 8.54s to Crowley’s 8.88s.

• Neck guards will be mandatory at Olympics after Adam Johnson’s death

The International Ice Hockey Federation announced Monday that it is making neck guards mandatory for all levels of competition in the tournaments it runs, including the Olympics and men’s and women’s world championships.

The mandate would not apply to professional leagues, including the NHL, which currently does not have any cut-proof safety requirements for players. Any sort of mandate in the NHL would require an agreement between the league and players’ union, which have been discussing skate blade safety for years.

The IIHF’s move comes after the death of American Adam Johnson, whose neck was cut by a skate blade during a game in England in late October. Johnson’s death at age 29 is being investigated, and the on-ice tragedy has sparked significant debate around the sport about the need for more protection of the neck, wrists and legs.

The exact date for the IIHF neck guard mandate to go into effect is still to be determined.

“The IIHF remains in close contact with its suppliers to ensure they are able to respond to the current high demand,” the organization said. “Until the rule officially goes into effect, the IIHF continues to strongly recommend that neck laceration protectors are worn by all players performing in an IIHF competition.”

Originally Posted by MeMock

Does anyone know why Hockey tickets still do not seem available?

They released some more the other day and managed to pick some up at a good price.

^Wonderful news!!!!!

This news is about a week old. By the time I saw it I figured all the tickets would be sold.

• 400,000 New Tickets Were Just Released for the 2024 Paris Olympics —What to Know

Hundreds of thousands of tickets were released on Thursday for the Paris Olympics with the 2024 summer games just months away.

The Paris 2024 Organizing Committee released more than 400,000 new tickets for all Olympic and Paralympic sports, which were available on a first-come-first-served basis. The tickets are on sale for all sessions, including those that were previously sold out, and were first put on sale at 10 a.m. Central European Time, which was 4 a.m. ET.

Organizers said this is the last time before the games when tickets for all sessions will be available to purchase.

“All sports will be back on sale, for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, to experience up close the performances of the greatest athletes in the world, the iconic moments of the Games – including all the finals,” organizers wrote in a statement, adding, “With the end-of-year festivities just a few weeks away, this is a unique opportunity to gift - or treat yourself - to an exceptional experience, with tickets to the Paris 2024 Games.”

Tickets for the opening ceremony, for example, will start at €90 ($98.23) for the Olympic Games and start at €150 ($163.71) for the Paralympic Games. Tickets for swimming, which were previously sold out, range from as low as €24 ($26.19) for a morning session during the 50m freestyle heats to as much as €980 ($1,069.57) for the 50m freestyle final.

• 2023 ITALIAN OPEN DAY 1: PALTRINIERI QUALIFIES FOR HIS FOURTH OLYMPIC GAMES

The 2023 Italian Open Long Course Championships saw two swimmers qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, with both competitors stemming from the men’s side.

First, 24-year-old Alberto Razzetti ripped a new Italian national record en route to winning the men’s 200m IM. He notched a gold medal-worthy result of 1:56.21, his first-ever foray under 1:57 territory, to grab the gold in a time fast enough to qualify for the Olympic Games.

You can read more about Razzetti’s monster swim here.

Freestyle ace Gregorio Paltrinieri was the other swimmer to gain Paris qualification, nabbing a bid for his 4th Olympic Games appearance.

The 29-year-old stopped the clock in a result of 14 : 41 . 38 to take the men’s 1500m freestyle title, beating the field by 16 seconds in the process. Luca De Tullio settled for silver well back in 14;57.99 while Matteo Diodato also landed on the podium in 15 : 07 . 41 for bronze.

Camille French secures Olympic qualifying standard in debut marathon

New Zealand runner Camille French has secured an Olympic entry qualifying standard in her debut at the marathon distance.

French (formerly Buscomb), who ran the 5000m and 10,000 metres at the Tokyo Olympics, ran a time of 2 : 26 : 08 at the Valencia marathon, beating the Olympic qualifying standard by 42 seconds.

The 33-year-old, who had her first child 17 months ago, finished 31st in the women's race.

It was the second fastest time ever by a New Zealand woman.

Kimberley Smith has the all time New Zealand record of 2 : 25 : 21 ran in 2010.

Strict eligibility conditions in place as IOC EB approves Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs) for the Olympic Games Paris 2024

The Individual Neutral Athletes will be invited by the IOC and their respective IFs. Only a very limited number of athletes will qualify through the existing qualification systems of the IFs. Among the 4,600 athletes from around the world who have qualified for Paris 2024 so far, there are only 11 Individual Neutral Athletes (eight with a Russian passport plus three with a Belarusian passport). In comparison, to date more than 60 Ukrainian athletes have qualified for Paris 2024. It is expected that the Ukrainian delegation is going to be around the same size as at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The strict eligibility conditions for Individual Neutral Athletes at Paris 2024 are the very same strict eligibility conditions under which they qualified, namely:

1. Qualified athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport will be entered as, and compete as, Individual Neutral Athletes (“AINs”).
2. Teams of athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport will not be considered.
3. Athletes who actively support the war will not be eligible to be entered or to compete. Support personnel who actively support the war will not be entered.
4. Athletes who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies will not be eligible to be entered or to compete. Support personnel who are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies will not be entered.
5. Any such Individual Neutral Athlete, like all the other participating athletes, will have to meet all anti-doping requirements applicable to them in the lead-up to and at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and particularly those set out in the anti-doping rules of the IFs.
6. The sanctions against those responsible for the war, the Russian and Belarusian states and governments, remain in place for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. This means, in particular, that:

• No flag, anthem, colours or any other identifications whatsoever of Russia or Belarus will be displayed at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in any official venue or any official function.
• No Russian or Belarusian government or state officials will be invited to or accredited for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

https://olympics.com/ioc/news/strict...mes-paris-2024

• Paris 2024 Olympics: Kipchoge and Kiptum tipped for Kenya in the marathon

Two-time Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and world record holder Kelvin Kiptum are part of Kenya's pre-selection for the Paris Olympics announced on Monday.

Reigning Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir and former world record holder Brigid Kosgei are also part of the team unveiled by the Athletics Kenya Federation (AK).

Kipchoge won the men's Olympic title twice in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and then in Tokyo in 2021 and will become the first athlete to achieve an unprecedented hat-trick if he wins next summer in Paris.

His rival Kiptum, winner of the London and Chicago Marathon, bettered Kipchoge's old mark with a time of 2:00:35 on October 8 in the American city.

The two men have never faced each other in competition.

The director of competitions of the Kenyan Federation, Paul Mutwii, clarified that these lists revealed on Monday, each composed of ten athletes, were provisional and would be reduced in January to five male and five female runners.

“The selection of the team is based on world rankings and the performances achieved by the athletes in the major marathons run this year,” Mutwii said in an Athletics Kenya press release.

“We also took into account the consistency, the fight against doping, the discipline, the will, the mentality, and the attitude of the athletes,” he said.

Well done Lord Coe, fuck those Russian murderers and fuck those spineless IOC tossers.

The World Athletics association will not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, despite the controversial decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), WAA President Seb Coe told Athletics Weekly on Dec. 8.
World Athletics made this decision earlier and will not change its position despite the IOC's statement.

https://news.yahoo.com/world-athletics-defies-ioc-maintains-113900349.html

^you should stick with bed bugs

_______

• Women's football: These teams have qualified for Paris 2024 Olympics

The following nations have confirmed their qualification for Paris 2024:

France (as host nation)

USA (Concacaf W Champions)

Canada (Concacaf play-off winners)

Brazil (Copa América Femenina semi-finalists)

Colombia (Copa América Femenina semi-finalists)

• Keyshawn Davis' Brother Qualifies for Olympics 2024

In his final match at the trials, Keon Davis faced Carlos Flowers at Super Welterweight. Flowers had come third at the 2023 USA Boxing Elite National Qualifier and trained under the guidance of Duane Obey at First State Obey Boxing. However, Keon, making excellent use of height and ring IQ, had Flowers in a fix. Eventually, with his tactics, Keon won the contest via a 4-1 decision over Carlos in the ring. Following this victory, the 22-year-old declared he was looking forward to winning the gold medal and surpassing Keyshawn Davis.

At the 2020 Olympics, Keyshawn Davis, who wants Terence Crawford to face Canelo Alvarez, received the silver medal as he lost the final to opponent Andy Cruz. However, Keon stated he would not settle for the silver medal at the Olympics. “I’m not coming to match. I’m coming for the gold medal,” said Keon Davis.

Monaco’s 28th International Judo Tournament sees its Winner

Japan Rises to the Top of Monaco’s 28th International Judo Tournament

During the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan won gold with China winning silver and France’s Luka Mkheidze winning bronze. Judo competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are scheduled to run from 27 July to 3 August at the Grand Palais Éphémère in Champ de Mars. 372 athletes will compete in seven weight categories for both women and men.

Born in 1996, Luka Mkheidze first represented France in Judo at the 2020 Olympics and will be returning for the Paris Games to try and win gold in his home country. In total, 10 athletes are expected to represent France in Judo at the 2024 Olympics.

• FOUR SWIMMERS RUNNING FOR IOC ATHLETES’ COMMISSION AT PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

Four swimmers are among the 32 athletes running for four seats on the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission next year at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Palestine’s Yazan Al Bawwab, Czech Republic’s Simona Kubova, Iceland’s Anton McKee, and Israel’s Yakov Toumarkin were nominated as candidates by their respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs) together with their Athletes’ Commissions.

Four candidates from four different sports will be elected to replace Hungarian swimmer Daniel Gyurta, German fencer Britta Heidemann, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbaeva, Korean table tennis player Ryu Seung-min, who are finishing their eight-year terms as elected members of the Athletes’ Commission.

Al Bawwab is a 24-year-old Palestinian swimmer who competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. He owns seven national records in the LCM 100 free (52.01), LCM 50 back (26.72), LCM 100 back (57.10), LCM 50 fly (25.97), LCM 400 free relay (52.92 split), SCM 100 back (55.52), and SCM 50 fly (25.23). Outside of the pool, Al Bawwab is part of the IOC’s Young Leader program, a member of the Palestine NOC Athletes’ Commission, and the founder of the Palestinian Olympians Association.

Kubova is a 32-year-old Czech swimmer who competed at the past three Olympics as well as the past eight World Championships (LCM). She still owns an individual national record in the SCM 50 back (26.17) as well as three relay records in the LCM 400 free relay (55.50 split), SCM 200 free relay (25.06 leadoff), and SCM 200 medley relay (26.58 back leadoff). Outside of the pool, Kubova works as a physiotherapist with a master’s degree in economics and management.

McKee is a 29-year-old Icelandic swimmer who competed at the past three Olympics and six LCM World Championships dating back to 2011. McKee’s name is all over the national record books as he owns a whopping 16 Icelandic swimming standards. He graduated from the University of Alabama and spent three years as a senior consultant at Ernst & Young. McKee also has three years of experience as a board member on the Iceland NOC Athletes’ Commission.

Toumarkin is a 31-year-old Israeli swimmer who competed at the past three Olympics as well as LCM World Championships in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. He served as captain of Israel’s swimming team for seven years and has worked as head of trainers and instructors at the Wingate Institute for three years. Toumarkin still owns seven national records in backstroke, breaststroke, and IM events.

“It is very encouraging to see the strong interest from our peers who are putting themselves forward to be part of the IOC Athletes’ Commission,” IOC Athletes’ Commission chair Emma Terho said. “Such diverse representation from sports and NOCs means that athletes globally want their voice to be heard and recognize that the IOC AC is a place where they can actively represent and support their peers to succeed in their sporting and non-sporting careers. I am sure that those elected will contribute well to the representation of athletes and to addressing their needs and, on behalf of our Commission, I would like to wish all candidates all the best for the election.”

There can be a maximum of 23 members on the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission — 12 members directly elected by their peers and a maximum of 11 appointed members. Any elected members becomes eligible for election as a full IOC member.

• OLYMPIAN GABRIELLE ROSE, 46, PUNCHES PERSONAL BEST AND OLYMPIC TRIALS CUT IN 100 BREAST

At 46 years old, two-time Olympian Gabrielle Rose has qualified for the 2024 Olympic Trials. Rose clocked 1 : 09 . 82 in the 100 breaststroke in a long course time trial, representing Alpha Aquatics where she also coaches. That time also improves on her previous best, set last July (1:10.96). Prior to this year, her fastest time was 1 : 11 . 02, set in 2002 when she was 24 years old.

According to the USA Swimming database, that swim makes Rose the oldest Olympic Trials qualifier by over a decade. The next oldest qualifier is Brendan Fischer, who at 34 years old swam qualifying times in the 100 breast and 200 breast at the 2023 TYR Pro Swim Series in Mission Viejo.

It’s a bit of a full circle moment for Rose, who first broke out with national age group records for 11-12 girls in the 50 and 100 breaststroke. After a self-described plateau as a breaststroker, she turned her focus towards improving in other strokes.

Rose also competes in master’s swimming, where she holds 14 records across the 35-39 and 45-49 age groups.

Rose is a dual citizen of the United States and Brazil. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, representing Brazil, she finished 14th in the 100 butterfly, 22nd in the 200 IM, and 23rd in the 100 free. She later switched her sporting citizenship to the United States and qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 200 IM, where she placed 7th.

• World surfing body joins local opposition to controversial new Olympics tower in Tahiti

Surfing’s world governing body has said it opposes construction of a controversial new judges’ tower for the 2024 Olympics event in Tahiti which has sparked a backlash from locals and environmentalists over fears it could irreparably damage the local coral reef.

“The International Surfing Association (ISA) will not support the construction of the new aluminum judges’ tower at Teahupo’o,” the body said in a statement, a week after construction began.

For the past 20 years, a wooden judges’ tower has been used in Teahupo’o, home to one of the world’s most famous surf breaks, for professional competitions. Many protesters would like to see the old tower used for the 2024 Olympics, or even a new wooden tower built on the original foundations.

However, Olympic organisers and government leaders on the French Polynesian island worry it could pose a safety risk and last week construction began on the new tower despite the objections.

In its statement on Tuesday, the ISA said earlier this month it had proposed more environmentally friendly solutions such as building the tower on land and using digital cameras on the wooden tower to capture the surfers.

“The ISA proposal included judging the competition remotely, with live images shot from land, water and drones,” the ISA said. “Subsequently the French Polynesian government decided to go forward with a plan to build a new aluminum tower on the reef.”

• Surfing Activists Defeated; Teahupo'o Aluminum Tower Confirmed for Paris 2024 Olympics

The fight, as it were, appears to be over.

Surfing activists who, over the past few months, have rallied against a proposed aluminum judges’ tower to be installed in the reef at Teahupo’o, Tahiti, the site for surfing in the Paris 2024 Olympics, have lost; the suits have won; the reef is doomed.

The news dropped on Wednesday, during which the chief organizer for the Paris 2024 Games essentially said, yeah, we hear your protests, but we don’t care. We’re building the tower anyway. Your precious reef be damned.

Officially, here’s what Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet on Wednesday (per Reuters):

"This is an option that had been looked into but it had been discarded because it would mean the events being judged from a 900-meter distance.

“We can't broadcast like this in good conditions and in terms of sporting fairness, it would be a problem. Events have always been judged from a tower.

"Tahiti asked to host the surfing events and we will continue to work with all stakeholders to make it happen."

• WST Street World Championship 2023 Japan: Oda Yumeka becomes women's world champion

The 17-year-old Japanese unseats Rayssa Leal to capture her first major international crown at Tokyo's Ariake Coliseum.

Japanese skater Oda Yumeka won the women’s crown at the WST Street World Championships 2023 in Tokyo on Sunday (17 December), her first major international title.

Oda overtook defending champion Rayssa Leal with her fourth trick, a 94.80 that propelled her to a 265.75 total and her first victory of the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifiers. Leal finished with 261.90 in a tight final at Ariake Coliseum.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Nishiya Momiji took bronze (245.76) as the hosts convered five finalists into two spots on the podium.

After five qualifiers, Oda lies third in the Olympic World Skateboarding Rankings, second from Japan. Momiji is the top-ranked Japanese with Liz Akama, who was sixth on this afternoon (241.95), third.

The top three from each country qualify for the Olympic Games next summer.

• Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023: Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualification update

The 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship is also a qualification event for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where five sides have already secured their berths for the competition which will take place next July and August.

Hosts France were the first qualified side, being followed by Norway, after the EHF EURO 2022, where the Scandinavian side secured the title. The AHF Asian Olympic Women's Qualification Tournament saw the Republic of Korea seal the ticket for Paris 2024, while Angola made it through via CAHB African Olympic Women's Qualification Tournament this autumn.

One more ticket was awarded to the winners of the Pan American Games, Brazil, with the last direct spot being reserved via the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, provided a team which is not qualified progresses to the final.

With Denmark, France, Norway and Sweden being qualified to the semi-finals, Denmark can seal that ticket either via qualifying into the final, or if France progress to the final with a win against Sweden, as the runners-up at the EHF EURO 2022, via the place allocated to the best continent at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, which is Europe.

The other six spots will be awarded in April, when three Olympic Qualification Tournaments are played. The 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship had six spots allocated for these tournaments, for the teams which ranked between 2nd and 7th.

‘This girl is trouble’: How Marissa became the first Aboriginal woman to qualify for boxing at the Olympics

Marissa Williamson Pohlman never expected to be a boxer, let alone an Olympian.

She first picked up the gloves in 2019, as a young teenager in the foster care system who wandered into Collingwood Boxing Club - one of the oldest boxing gyms in the country.

“I kind of stumbled into a gym for at-risk youth in the western suburbs of Melbourne,” she explained.

“I started fighting quite quickly and I remember my first fight ... my first boxing coach, he was the one that planted the seed for me. He told me that I could be an Australian champion, or could go to the Olympics.

“I wasn’t really sure what that meant at the time, but now I’ve had 35 fights in four years and it feels like it’s just all happened overnight.”

After fierce competition at the Pacific Games, Marissa has qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In doing so, the Ngarrindjeri woman has made history, becoming the first Aboriginal woman to qualify for the Olympics in the sport of boxing.

“I was part of one of the most successful Olympic boxing campaigns ever at the Pacific Games,” she explained.

“We had the most women that have ever qualified for the Olympics for boxing, the first ever hijab-wearing Muslim to qualify for the Olympics and the first ever Aboriginal woman to qualify as well.”

• Chinese taekwondo athletes secure two tickets to Paris 2024

China's Liang Yushuai and Song Jie claimed gold in their respective categories at the 2023 World Taekwondo Grand Slam Champions Series finals here on Saturday.

These victories elevated them to top positions on the Grand Slam rankings and thus guaranteed them qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Grand Slam Champions Series serves as an independent Olympic qualification tournament. The highest-ranked athletes of the Grand Slam in each of the eight weight categories after this final directly secure one Olympic quota place at Paris 2024.

The men's 68kg final unfolded between two reigning world champions - Liang and Croatia's Marko Golubic. The two players, both 23 years old, battled to a draw in the first two rounds. Trailing 8-12 in the decisive third round, Liang staged a comeback, reversing the score to 20-18 and securing the title.

China's Xiao Chenming took the bronze medal.

"I can feel greater pressure from my opponent. I believe maintaining a relaxed mindset was the key to my success this time," Liang said after the match.

Having missed out participation in the Tokyo Olympics, Liang stated that he has improved both mentally and physically, ready for new challenges.

In the women's 67kg category, Song Jie and compatriot Zhang Mengyu advanced to the final, securing an Olympic berth for the Chinese team. Song emerged victorious in the end.

17-year-old Turkish rising star Elif Sude Akgul secured an Olympic spot in the women's 49kg category by defeating South Korean Kang Mi-reu. China's Guo Qing bagged the bronze medal.

The men's +80kg final saw world champion Vladislav Larin stand atop the podium, securing a ticket to Paris.

The Grand Slam Champions Series finals will conclude on Sunday, with Olympic quotas up for grabs in the remaining four weight categories.

• China secure singles title at 2023 Women's WTT Nagoya

China's paddlers secured the singles title at the 2023 Women's World Table Tennis (WTT) Finals in Nagoya on Saturday, setting up an all-Chinese doubles semifinal.

The singles semifinals will take place between Chen Meng against Sun Yingsha and Chen Xingtong against Wang Yidi. Meanwhile, Chen and Wang will meet Sun and Wang Manyu in the doubles semifinal round.

Olympic champion Chen extended her head-to-head record against Japan's Mima Ito to 7-0 after clinching a 3-0 (11-8, 11-2, 11-6) victory. Ito, who is the second-highest ranked player in the host nation, suffered the defeat while recovering from a fever.

"Ito is a strong player. I won because I managed to control the rhythm today and prepared well," said Chen, who previously dispatched the hosts' top-ranked Hina Hayata to up their head-to-head record to 7-0.

Meanwhile, top seed Sun outclassed German veteran Han Ying 3-0 (14-12, 11-4, 11-7). The two were neck and neck in the opening game, with the gap always under two points. Sun fired a brilliant long shot to reach 11-10 but soon hit the ball into the net before the 40-year-old led for the first time to take the first game point. Sun, who is ranked No. 1 in the world, proved her status with a decisive finish and went on to wrap up the match, while Han seemed to struggle to keep up with the pace.

• Russian equestrians barred from 2024 Paris Olympics

The International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) has announced that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics in equestrian disciplines, FEI announced on Dec. 21.

The decision comes weeks after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled to allow Russian athletes to compete in the 2024 Olympics.

The federation explained that Russian and Belarusian athletes have not been taking part in FEI competitions since March 2, 2022, and have not earned the ranking points necessary to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Read also: Ukraine may boycott 2024 Olympics over IOC's encouraging approach to Russian and Belarusian athletes

“According to the Olympic Qualification Systems for Equestrian, individual qualification is secured through the FEI Olympic Rankings for Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing, which cover the period from Jan.1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2023,” the message said.