Source: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
[Saba Sports News] Recently, the Danish Badminton Association released the list of participants for the upcoming Olympic Games. However, it caused surprise as the Danish team did not follow the order of Olympic points ranking when determining the candidates. Danish badminton player Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt was not included in the list, while Mia Blichfeldt, ranked 22nd in Olympic points, was selected for the women’s singles category. The national team explained that they considered various factors, including world rankings, performance, and future potential, in making this difficult but strategic decision for the country. They also emphasized that world ranking alone was not the sole criterion, which led to Mia’s selection with a slight advantage. The editorial view is that Mia’s strong performance in the Olympic points competition and her victory at the 2024 German Open might have influenced the Danish Badminton Association’s decision to choose her over Kjaersfeldt, who had a higher ranking but fewer points. This selection positions Mia as a participant in the Olympics.