Two players, one country.
Badminton’s Olympic ranking was locked on Sunday, and it’s Finland’s departure Kalle Koljonen and Joakim Oldorff sometimes it was really small.
Koljonen, who secured a place in Finland, was 27th on the list that takes land quotas into account, and Oldorff was tied for 28th place.
There are 38 Olympic spots in singles, and in principle Oldorff would also be eligible. Finland would have received another place if both Finnish players had reached the top 16.
The players had a year to play in tournaments of different levels, for which ranking points are awarded according to the level of difficulty. The ranking takes into account the ten best results of each player.
The choice is made contradictory by the fact that Oldorff, 21, who was considered the promise of the future, advanced to the semi-finals at the European Championships in early April and received bronze, while the 30-year-old Koljonen, on the other hand, missed the third round.
On the other hand, Koljosen had bad luck in the European Championships when, after two wins, he faced the number one player in the world and reigning Olympic champion, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen.
Koljonen and Oldorff have not faced each other in a competitive match during the Olympic qualification, so it is difficult to draw conclusions about the mutual power relations.
The Badminton Association confirmed to Urheilu on Thursday that they will nominate Koljos for the Olympics because they have always made the selections based on the ranking. Both have their advocates in the Badminton Association.
Ultimately, the elite sports unit of the Olympic Committee makes the final choice.
Opposites of each other
According to Koljonen, who is known for his attacking style of play, his selection for the Olympics is justified.
– Competitions are often a bit of a guess. When you go around the games for a year, the differences even out. I see that the Olympic ranking is fair, Koljonen told Urheilu on Thursday.
Koljonen says that he tried to rhythm his qualifying time in such a way that he could also fit in long training periods.
Some of the players may exhaust themselves mentally or physically while chasing an Olympic place around the world.
– I have aimed to be in really good shape since the Paris Olympics start.
Koljonen sees the tight competitive situation as positive.
– The more international level players here, it is good for our sport. Even though the competition is tough, that’s a good thing.
Oldorff is also of the same opinion, and as a player who moves around the field and keeps a steady pace, he is the opposite of Koljonen’s style of play.
Contrasts could also be found in the performances during the Olympic qualification. Koljonen has performed consistently, Oldorff is favored by potential and EC success.
Oldorff said on Friday that he hopes that all results will be taken into account fairly in the selection.
– The Olympics are really interesting. I have now had really good results during the winter and spring, and I do believe in my chances of success at the Olympics.
Oldorff says that he has prepared his coach Anu Nieminen with both options regarding the Olympic place.
Selection within a couple of weeks
Director of the Olympic Committee’s sport and competition programs Leena Paavolainen is responsible for the unit that makes the final selections for the Olympics.
– It’s really great and wonderful that we have two eligible athletes. It is always a positive challenge for the voters, says Paavolainen.
He says that the performances of badminton players are evaluated according to the open selection system and its criteria. The Olympic ranking as well as other international competitions, results and performances are taken into account for the entire Olympic qualifying period.
– We make a careful and comprehensive assessment and comparison between athletes.
At the discretion of the top sports unit, young athletes in the upward development phase of their careers can also be selected for the Olympics, as Oldorff could be classified as. Is this also considered in the selection?
– Yes, but it is one criterion among others.
Paavolainen says that the selections will be prepared and made during this and next week. The Finnish representative should be clear by May 10 at the latest.