8 mei 2024 om 16:30 Update: 28 min. geleden
Canoeists Selma Konijn and Ruth Vorsselman surprisingly qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris on Wednesday. In Szeged, Hungary, the duo grabbed the very last chance at the Olympic qualifying tournament.
Vorsselman and Konijn thus achieved a historic achievement. It is the first time since 1992 that a Dutch canoe duo has qualified for the Games in the 500 meter canoe sprint in the K2 class.
With a spectacular catch-up race, 25-year-old Konijn and 27-year-old Vorsselman sent a Russian duo that had started fast to second place. The Dutch K2 couple finished one second faster. In Hungary, only the winner could earn an Olympic ticket.
Konijn and Vorsselman reacted enthusiastically to their qualification for the Games. Once ashore, they hugged their Polish coach Zdzislaw Szubski. The Dutch women have only been training under Szubski since October last year.
A Dutch canoe sprint team last participated in the Olympic Games in 1992. Then Jan-Dirk Nijkamp and Marc Weijzen qualified for the 500 and 1,000 meters. The last sprint medal dates from 1988, when Annemarie Cox and Annemiek Derckx won bronze.
- 8 mei 2024 om 14:33
In beeld |Olympische vlam na boottocht aangekomen in zwaarbeveiligd Marseille
Tags: Canoeists Konijn Vorsselman grab historic ticket Games Sports
