European Olympic Singles Qualification | 19 May 2024

Jieni SHAO and Fu YU Secure Olympic Spots for Portugal at the 2024 European Olympic Singles Qualification in Sarajevo

The winners of the tickets to Paris on the final day of the 2024 European Olympic Singles Qualification in Sarajevo are Jieni SHAO and Fu YU of Portugal. They joined Britt EERLAND of the Netherlands and Anna HURSEY of Great Britain.

“I am so relieved and happy now. Last time I qualified through the rankings, and it is so difficult to play this tournament. I am also delighted that FU joined me, so we are both qualified,” said SHAO.

In her final match at the tournament, Jieni SHAO overcame Georgina POTA of Hungary (13:11, 5:11, 7:11, 11:4, 11:5) to secure her third appearance at the Olympics.

“Each match in Sarajevo was very hard, but the most difficult moment was the defeat against BALAZOVA. I was leading 3-0 and lost that match. However, I never gave up. I always believed it was possible to win,” said SHAO.

On her way to the Olympics in Sarajevo, SHAO overcame Zdena BLASKOVA of Czechia and Ozge YILMAZ of Türkiye in the group stage; she also accounted for Margaryta PESOTSKA of Ukraine, before she lost to Barbora BALAZOVA in Stage 2. In Stage 3, she overcame Tatiana KUKULKOVA of Slovakia before the final match.

Unlike SHAO, who needed only five games to book her ticket in the last match, Fu YU was stretched to the full distance against Margaryta PESOTSKA of Ukraine (13:15, 11:7, 11:8, 13:11, 9:11, 9:11, 12:10).

“I was in the lead 3-1, then I was trailing before I came back... It was an unbelievable game, and it is too early even for me to understand what happened there. Two or three times I thought I was already out, but now it is only important that I have this ticket to Paris,” said YU.

YU lost to POTA in Stage 2 in the second round.

“For me, it was important to stay focused and to take each match as it came. I never lost faith that I could win it from Stage 3,” said Yu.

In Stage 3, YU beat Debora VIVARELLI of Italy and Hana MATELOVA of Czechia. In the group stage, Portugal's player prevailed against Sarah DE NUTTE of Luxembourg and Martine TOFTAKER of Norway.