It was probably the most important match of his career. Toma Junior Popov (25 years old), resident of the Fos-sur-Mer badminton club, achieved the feat on Saturday of beating the Dane Viktor Axelsen, world number 1 and reigning Olympic champion (21-19, 17-21 , 21-9). This success
at the semi-final stage of the European Championships in Saarbrücken, Germany, not only allowed him to reach the grand final of this competition, which he ended up losing on Sunday, but also to win his ticket to the Olympic Games of Paris 2024. Toma Junior Popov obtained this pass because of his ranking in the “Race To Paris” which takes into account recent results in the biggest competitions. With his qualification for the final, he managed to overtake his little brother Christo Popov (22 years old) at the last minute. The reigning French champion, defeated on Wednesday against his compatriot Axel Lanier, therefore sees his elder brother pass him in the final turn. If Toma Junior will be present at the Games, Christo will be forced to stay in the stands, because the two brothers missed their chance in doubles.
2024-04-15 06:06:04
#Toma #Junior #Popov #qualified #Games
