Budapest, Jun 19 (IANS): The Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) reaches its second, and final, stop in Budapest this week, where over 450 athletes from around the globe will gather for their final chance to qualify for Paris 2024. Following the electrifying first stop of the series in Shanghai last month, Budapest is ready to host four days of spectacular competition from June 20 to 23.
The Budapest event will see the athletes, from more than 120 National Federations, competing in BMX freestyle, breaking, sport climbing and skateboarding. The competitions will take place at the Ludovika Campus, a university campus centrally located in Budapest, which offers a 26-hectare green, park-like environment and includes a variety of indoor and outdoor sports facilities. The OQS Urban Park can accommodate up to 10,000 spectators daily and offers free entry to the public.
The first competitors have already arrived at the Ludovika Campus in Budapest and have begun training in preparation for the competitions, which will start this Thursday. The event will get underway with the preliminary rounds on Thursday and Friday, followed by the finals that are scheduled over the weekend, the IOC informed in a release on Tuesday.
This will be when the athletes get their final opportunity to secure a quota place for Paris 2024. In total, over 150 quota places will be allocated after the Budapest edition of the Olympic Qualifier Series.
Athletes enter the Budapest stop with the points earned at the Shanghai stop last month. A final ranking, based on their performances in Shanghai and Budapest, will determine which athletes will secure quota places for Paris 2024. For the current rankings, visit Olympics.com, and for more details on the qualification and points system, see this article.
Following the finals in each sport, athletes who have secured quota spots for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be celebrated in the "Road to Paris 2024 Ceremonies". These athletes will be honoured in a festive manner, together with the Paris 2024 mascot, in front of fans at the Ludovika Campus.
The OQS stop in Budapest, which spans four days, provides athletes and spectators with a unique Olympic experience that blends sport, music, art and culture. The event features daily performances by prominent Hungarian pop and rap artists, along with a range of activities including sports demonstrations and trial sessions led by local athletes such as breaking world champion Zoltan Filkohazi. Spectators will have the opportunity to actively participate in sports, meet the Paris 2024 mascots, and view the Paris 2024 Olympic torch.
The event will culminate on Olympic Day, June 23, with special activities organised by the Hungarian Olympic Committee to celebrate the occasion.