For wrestling competitions

Two Walsers in the draw for Paris tickets

Markus Ragginger from AC Wals(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

Now it's down to the wire! The local wrestling federation has nominated the candidates for the European and World qualifiers for the Summer Games in Paris. Among them are two athletes from Salzburg.

The wrestling competitions are among the most difficult of all. Only the best two or three participants in the qualifying events make it onto the train to Paris. The freestyle and Greco-Roman aces will start from April 5 to 7 at the European competition in Baku (Ase), where two athletes per category will qualify. The remaining chance will be at the World Qualifier in Istanbul (Turkey) at the beginning of May, where three quota places are still up for grabs.

Focus on Istanbul
Encouraging from Salzburg's point of view: two athletes, AC Wals fixed stars Markus Ragginger (Greco-Roman up to 97 kilos) and Simon Marchl (Freestyle up to 74), are in the running for Olympic participation. Ragginger prevailed against Daniel Gastl from Inzing in an internal duel, but is deliberately focusing on Istanbul. The Tyrolean will therefore also have the chance to qualify in Baku. Meanwhile Marchl, protégé of national coach Georg Marchl, is seeded in freestyle and, after a forced health break, is back on top of his game and full of energy to be at the Summer Games.