MADRID, 1 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish paddlers Francisco Javier López, in class 4; Álvaro Valera, in class 6; Ander Cepas and Jorge Cardona, in class 9; and José Manuel Ruiz, in class 10; They have secured their direct qualification for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in the individual competition thanks to their position in the world ranking, which closed this Sunday.
The classifications in the doubles categories will be defined until April 22. The Spaniards Iker Sastre and Miguel Ángel Toledo, currently in the first places in the world ranking, have their ticket for the Olympic event on track, Jordi Morales also aspires to qualify in the doubles category.
Another qualifying route available will be the Pre-Olympic tournament to be held in Pattaya (Thailand) from May 23 to 25; This event grants one place per category, offering a last opportunity for those seeking their place in the Paralympic Games.
José Manuel Ruiz, in class 10, achieves a new milestone in his 32 years in the elite of Spanish Paralympic table tennis by ensuring his presence in his eighth Paralympic Games. He and the Slovakian Ján Riapos are the only paddlers who have managed to be present in two events, tying in Olympic participations with Jesús Ángel García Bragado.
Meanwhile, Francisco Javier López from Extremadura, in class 4, achieved his classification by direct ranking for the first time in his career. He was already in Tokyo 2020, after having received a ‘wild card’, and obtained a diploma in his first Paralympic participation. His best position in the world ranking has been eighth place.
Álvaro Valera, in class 6, has accumulated seven participations since 2000. He has maintained the world number 1 for 20 years, 10 of them uninterrupted.
Meanwhile, Ander Cepas will compete in his first Paralympic Games thanks to his position as number three in the world in class 9, in which Jorge Cardona has also qualified, with a best world ranking of number five and who will attend his fourth Paralympic event.