Finland is getting a place in badminton at the Paris Olympics. Kalle Koljonen is ahead of Joakim Oldorff in the Olympic ranking.
Sakari Lund,
Jouko Vuolle
21-year-old Joakim Oldorff won the EC bronze in badminton handsomely over the weekend. Oldorff advanced to the semi-finals at the European Championships played in Saarbrücken, Germany, and thus secured the bronze medal, as the bronze medal match is not played at the European Championships. In the semi-final, Oldorff lost to the Danish number four in the world ranking For Anders Antonsen.
Oldorff’s personal trainer, former top player Anu Nieminen was delighted with the success of his protégé.
– Great week and great game performances. In important places, he kept his head together. He was able to take advantage of the opportunity he got and execute the prepared tactics with discipline, Nieminen stated.
– Joakim is easy to coach. We have a long history of cooperation and know each other well. He can take coaching well.
Many may have been surprised by Oldorff’s medal, but according to Nieminen, it is not a sudden leap in development.
– We have worked long-term for this. This didn’t just fall into someone’s lap overnight.
Oldorff’s medal is Finland’s second adult individual EC medal in badminton history. Kalle Koljonen achieved a bronze medal at the 2021 European Championships.
Nieminen doesn’t want to set any limits to what Oldorff can still reach. There is still a lot of potential and enough to develop. However, after the European Championship bronze, there was a couple of days of rest before the exercises continued.
Who is going to the Olympics?
The Paris Olympics are approaching and Finland is getting a place in badminton. Koljonen, who lost in the third round of the European Championships to the number one in the world rankings, is also aiming for a place To Viktor Axelsen.
– This has been a year-long Olympic qualifying season. Kalle Koljonen seems to be ahead of Joakim, it is up to the Badminton Association and the Olympic Committee to decide who goes to the games. Our plans will not change one way or the other, Nieminen said.
The head coach Ville Lång confirmed that Koljonen is slightly ahead of Oldorff in the Olympic ranking.
– I don’t quite know the regulations, whether the selecting parties can choose Oldorff based on this result. Basically, it has usually been the case that it goes to the games, which is the highest, Lång stated.
Badminton is played in five formats at the Olympics: there are singles and doubles for women and men, and in addition to these, a mixed doubles game is played. The Summer Olympics will be held in Paris from July 26 to August 11.