Germany’s Dang Qiu and Nina Mittelham became the first athletes of the European Games 2023 to secure their qualification to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 by winning the table tennis mixed doubles gold medal match on Monday.

The Games form part of qualifying pathways in 17 of the 18 Olympic sports on show in Krakow-Malopolska with table tennis, boxing, breaking and modern pentathlon offering direct qualification opportunities to individual athletes. In six other sports, athletes can secure Paris 2024 places for their country, with the other seven all offering ranking points counting towards qualification.

Qiu and Mittelham booked their spot in Paris next summer Games with a victory over Dora Csilla Madarasz and Nandor Istvan Ecseki in the final at Krakow’s Hutnik Arena. They beat their Hungarian opponents 3-0 in the final after overcoming pairs from Spain, Turkey and Luxembourg en-route to the final.

After being awarded their gold medals, the duo were presented with their ‘golden tickets’ to Paris by European Olympic Committees (EOC) Executive Committee member Gunilla Lindberg in her capacity as a member of the IOC Coordination Commission for Paris 2024. Speaking to the media after the event, Mrs Lindberg hailed the work done by the EOC, International Olympic Committees and Association of National Olympic Committees to ensure that continental Games are part of the Olympic qualification process.

She said: “We’ve had a working group for more than a year with ANOC and the IOC, looking at integrating the Olympic qualifications in the continental Games programmes.

“It’s very good news to see it becoming a reality because it will also raise awareness of the continental Games.

“After Paris, this is something we will seek to strengthen further as we work towards the Games in 2027.”

Today will see more athletes confirm Paris 2024 attendance when the breaking competition ends in Park Strzelecki in Nowy Sacz, where the winners of the B Boys and B Girls tournaments will both secure their Olympic berths. The Rugby 7s at the Henryk Reyman Stadium also draws to a close with a spot at the Olympics on offer for the winners of both the men’s and women’s tournaments.