CQT Americas: Host nation claims two quota places

Andres Manuel PILA (COL) against Gustavo TRAININI (BRA) for bronze The Continental Qualification Tournament for the Americas on 22 April 2012 in Medellin, Colombia was not without surprises since the number one of the qualification round in the men's event Daniel REZENDE from Brazil was eliminated by the Uruguayan Juan TOMASINI 6-0 in the 1/8 elimination. Luckily for the 2016 host nation, his two teammates Bernardo SOUSA DE OLIVEIRA and Gustavo TRAININI who were 4th and 6th in the qualification round, prevailed further and obtained the quota place for Brazil. After Andres Manuel PILA from Colombia defeated his teammate Daniel PINEDA 6-4 in 1/8 elimination round he took care of Juan TOMASINI with a 6-2 victory in the quarterfinals. At that time the places were decided since the other matches were won by the two Brazilians SOUSA DE OLIVEIRA and TRAININI and Juan Carlos STEVENS from Cuba who won the quota tournament and secured his 3th Olympics. STEVENS was quarterfinalist in Beijing and was very close to getting a medal in China. Will he in London go one step higher? The women’s event was not a surprise in the outcome of which National Olympic Committees obtained the places since the three nations where the favourites but the final ranking can be seen as a surprise. The Mexicans were the clear favourites but in the end had to settle with third place. Canada was very much in a good position with two teammates shooting against each other in the quarterfinals and therefore being in a very good position to clinch the quota place. Marie-Pier BEAUDET is known to be a great competitor in matchplay and proved this once more in obtaining the first place. That Colombia would get a place was expected but people were more expecting Natalia SANCHEZ, the medallist from the Ulsan 2009 World Championships. She was eliminated by Leidys BRITO from Venezuela who then subsequently lost to Ana Maria RENDON who had survived a shoot-off against Kateri VRAKKING from Canada in 1/8 elimination. RENDON then went on to defeat Alejandra VALENCIA from Mexico in the semis after a second shoot-off was required. The first arrow was too close to call and a second tie-break arrow was necessary to the delight of the many Colombian fans in the grandstands. From the athletes that did not obtain places yet, Venezuela, Argentina and Uruguay are the ones that we will need to keep an eye on in Ogden since they are clearly contenders for the last places. The Olympic qualifiers were transmitted live on TV and the congratulations ceremony was conducted in the presence of Andres BOTERO, the IOC member in Colombia and Minister of Sport, who saw his countrymen compete at the highest level.

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