Full board: hockey has determined all its qualifying matches for Paris 2024

Full box. 24 Olympic hockey spots have just been closed. The pre-Olympic tournaments concluded the qualifying competition for Paris 2024, an event that will mark a turning point in the sport of stick and bocce: it will be the last to be played on the current water courts after a run of 13 consecutive games.

In Ranchi (India) and Valencia (Spain), the women’s competition was the first to fill the second part of the qualifying list. Germany, the US and Japan got their ticket in the Asian city, while Belgium, Spain and the UK got their ticket at the European event. The most impressive exit was New Zealand in the group stage, who will be absent from the game for the first time since 1996.

The coronation of the Germans, Olympic champions in Athens 2004 and last bronze in Rio 2016, came after a 2-0 victory over the Americans, a major revelation and which will return to Olympic level after its absence at Tokyo 2020. The Japanese team dealt another blow and buried the hopes of the hosts, who would not be able to defend their fourth Olympic place: they scored the only goal against India ahead of schedule, taking third place and Olympic qualification. In Valencia, the Belgians’ return to Olympism after 12 years materialized with a victory in the final over the Spaniards in their homeland, while the British celebrated twice: they left their Irish neighbors without Paris 2024 and are now enjoying their fourth medal. consistent.

The men competed in Muscat (Oman) and Valencia and also admitted their surprise. Pakistan, winner of four world titles (more than any other country), lost to New Zealand and missed out on its third consecutive pre-Olympic qualifying round. A few hours later, Germany, the reigning world champion, defeated Great Britain and both qualified. The Olympic champions also triumphed in Valencia as Belgium celebrated victory over Spain under their own skies in a replica of the women’s tournament. The score is 3:2 with breathtaking clarity. Ireland had previously finished bottom of Paris by beating the Republic of Korea.

In addition to France, who were present by virtue of their status as hosts, the first batch of Olympic-qualified teams already included five continental champions. Four of the five were repeated in the women’s and men’s draws: Australia (Oceania), Argentina (America), the Netherlands (Europe) and South Africa (Asia). China and India (Asia) were already guaranteed quotas for women and men respectively.

In a new sign of a decade of transformation, the first 5-a-side World Championships will take place next Wednesday, a format that could be replicated in the Olympic universe in the near future. In Muscat, like the pre-Olympic championship, the women’s championship will be held from January 24 to 27, and the men’s from the 28 to 31 of this month. 16 countries will aim for glory at the first FIFA World Cup, which will be played on fields that do not require pre-irrigation, in line with those at the Olympic Games starting in Los Angeles in 2028.