Medellin (Colombia), April 9 (EFE). – Canada and Puerto Rico, which took first and third places in the Continental Shooting Championship of the Americas, on Tuesday qualified two places in the women's competition for Paris 2024, while gaining two places in the men's competition. The two places were awarded to Colombia and the US Virgin Islands.
Georgian archer Christine Essibua, competing for Canada, won the gold medal by defeating teammate Virginie Chenier 6-4 in the final that secured an Olympic berth in Medellin for the Canadian delegation.
“It was difficult to compete against Virginie. There was pressure, but at the same time I felt comfortable knowing that we had already trained together,” Essiboa told Agencia EFE, then clarified that she would not be participating in the tournament in Paris, despite this. After winning the qualifying tournament…
“I'm happy and at the same time a little sad because I won't be able to go to the Olympics, I don't have Canadian citizenship, I don't have a passport. I'm proud of the work I did to win the place,” explained the 39-year-old goalkeeper, who represented the Georgian national team in Athens. 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016 “For Canada”.
For Puerto Rico, it was an unforgettable day with the bronze medal won by Alondra Rivera with a 5-5 victory over her compatriot Nelka Cotto to qualify for Paris 2024, ending a cycle of absence that has lasted 28 years, since then. She will be Puerto Rico's first female goalkeeper at the Olympics since Atlanta 1996 with Maria Reyes.
“The emotion is high for this amazing result,” the 22-year-old Rivera told World Archery. “I couldn’t ask for more.”
In the second hour, the continental shooting qualifiers for the Americas, which were held at the Belen Unit Sports Hall, determined the Olympic quotas for men, the first of which was for Colombian Santiago Arcilla with his wonderful performance against American Virgin Nicholas D’Amour. Who beat him 6-2 in the final.
“It is very pleasing and exciting that everything has been achieved. I achieved the required quota and became champion, I could not have performed better (…) I was good in every round, with very good averages,” the Colombian summed up after his victory. at home.
For his part, Damour, the silver medalist in the Medellin competition, ranked second in Paris after defeating Argentine Mario Gagarabella in the semi-final in which a tie-break was required, but in the gold competition he lost his way and was unable to do so. Recheck his favorite status.
The bronze medal went to Argentine Jagarabella with a 6-0 crushing victory over Salvadoran Oscar Ticas, who knocked Arcela out of the semi-finals with a 6-2 win to qualify for the Olympics.
For its part, the curtain will rise on Wednesday on the Pan American Shooting Championships with the team shares in dispute in Paris 2014, when 206 archers from 23 countries will participate in Medellin (68 archers from 19 countries in the Olympic qualifiers).
Likewise, the competitions will be held in a combined format to provide six places for the World Championships to be held in Chengdu (China).
(c) EFE Agency
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