Dang Qiu and Nina Mittelham are Paris bound!

The German pair is set to represent Germany at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as they emerged victorious in the mixed doubles event at the European Games, securing their qualification for the highly anticipated tournament.

In an impressive final, the German duo defeated Hungary’s Nandor Istvan Ecseki and Dora Csilla Madarasz with a score of 11-9, 11-6, 13-11, becoming the first table tennis players to secure their spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Expressing his excitement after the match, Qiu stated, “The Olympic Games is the biggest sporting event on the planet. Every athlete is fighting to compete there. At the European Games, there was only one ticket available for Paris 2024, and it was very difficult to get it. But we did it!”

Mittelham added, “Our main focus was on the mixed doubles event since it was the only one where you can secure an Olympic ticket. We did a great job, and now we are looking forward to competing in Paris.”

This will be Qiu’s first Olympic Games appearance, while Mittelham previously participated in the Tokyo 2020 Games. With their sights now set on Paris 2024, the German pair is determined to maintain their winning streak and vie for a coveted Olympic medal, proudly representing their member association at the highest level of the sport.

The table tennis events at the Paris 2024 Olympics will consist of five competitions: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s teams, and mixed doubles. The matches will take place from July 27 to August 10, 2024, at the South Paris Arena #4, an exhibition and convention center serving as a key venue for the Paris 2024 Games.

A total of 172 places (86 for men and 86 for women) have been allocated for table tennis, including six host country places and two universality places. Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) can secure a maximum quota of three places for both men and women.

The Teams events will feature a draw of 16, with one team consisting of three athletes from each NOC. The Mixed Doubles event will also have a draw of 16, with one pair representing each NOC. In the Singles events, the number of quotas available after distributing the Mixed Doubles quota will determine the participation of up to 70 players, with a maximum of four players (two men and two women) per NOC. The host country will be guaranteed one Team quota place per event, two Singles quota places per event, and one Mixed Doubles quota place.

The road to Paris 2024 Olympics will continue with the next events scheduled for September. For further details on the Qualification System for the Paris 2024 Olympic Table Tennis Events, please refer to the official document available here.