Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa qualify for 2024 Paris Olympics
Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa have secured their spots at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Badminton Asia Championships, which got underway in Ningbo, China on Wednesday (April 10), is the last qualification competition for the 2024 Olympics cycle.
All eyes have been on the World Tour Super 1000 event as there is a lot at stake for the Indians still vying for their berth at the quadrennial events, especially in the women's doubles.
Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto were on the brink of qualification heading into the event, while Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand needed to reach at least the final to stand a chance. If the former pair reached the second round in China, the latter had to win the title to beat their compatriots to Paris qualification.
With Ashwini and Tanisha handed a first-round bye after Indonesian pair Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Amallia Cahaya Pratiwi pulled out, the pressure was on Treesa and Gayatri to go all the way. However, they faced a first-round exit, losing to fourth seeds Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning 21-2, 21-11.
That result coupled with the early exit of Taiwanese pair Hsu Ya-ching and Lin Chia-yu (lost 21-13, 22-20 to Laksika Kanlaha and Phataimas Muenwong) has seen the World No. 20 pair of Ashwini and Treesa mathematically secure their spots at the upcoming Olympic Games.
Indian badminton contingent for Paris Olympics after Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa's qualification
The following Indian players have mathematically won a quota for the 2024 Paris Olympics:
Men’s Singles - HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen
Women’s Singles - PV Sindhu
Men’s Doubles - Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty
Women’s Doubles - Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa
(There is no Indian pair in contention to win a quota in the mixed doubles.)