Over 150 athletes stamp their tickets for Paris 2024, as Olympic Qualifier Series comes to a sensational close in Budapest

A lively atmosphere was created over the four days of competition in the Hungarian capital by the 60,000 spectators attending. Hosted in a single Urban Park, the event featured over 450 athletes from more than 120 national federations across all continents, competing in the four sports. Fans in the Hungarian capital enthusiastically supported the athletes during the festival-style event, which blended sport with culture, music and art.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, who was in attendance on the event’s opening day, commented: “Congratulations to Budapest. The atmosphere here was great. The event combined the joy of sport, the culture of these urban sports and the athletes’ determination to make their individual Olympic dreams come true. The two stops in Budapest and Shanghai made a perfect first edition of the OQS. Thank you to both hosts for their creativity and determination to make the two events a great success.”

The winners of the OQS stop in Budapest are:

BMX Freestyle

Breaking

Sport Climbing

Skateboarding

Hannah Roberts USA, silver medallist in BMX Freestyle at Tokyo 2020, shared her enthusiasm: “To come here and take the win is cool. I’m super pumped and I’ve got my ticket to Paris. I think the series is super cool. It brings fun, and took pressure off last year’s season, which is awesome for a lot of people. I like that you have to be consistent through both events, and we went to two amazing, beautiful cities."

The top three winners of each category at the Budapest stop were awarded an eye-catching trophy, uniquely designed with elements from each of the four sports. The OQS employs a points system, with a final ranking for each sport determining which athletes secure quota places for Paris 2024. The athletes who obtained quota places were honoured on stage in dedicated ceremonies.

Detailed results and the final rankings can be found on Olympics.com.

The festival-style event in Budapest's Urban Park showcased competitions across four dynamic urban sports, complemented by breaking battles, music shows and cultural activities, including the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP), which engaged hundreds of Hungarian schoolchildren. Sports initiation zones provided visitors with the opportunity to try out and experience each sport first hand. In celebration of the event’s conclusion on Olympic Day, the Hungarian Olympic Committee organised special activities featuring former Hungarian champions.

Balázs Fürjes, co-Chair of the Organising Committee and IOC Member, said: “It is a tremendous honour for Budapest to host the OQS following Shanghai. We are grateful to the Shanghai organisers for getting the OQS off to a great start, and we are proud to have seen it through to its final stage. In great team work with the IOC, Budapest has delivered an electric event on the stunning Ludovika Campus, turning around the series in a short time. The Budapest edition was a relaxed, people-centric event with fantastic performances once again from the athletes.”

The Athlete Club, a new initiative introduced at both stops of the series, served as a new feature where athletes from all four sports could come together. It offered relaxation areas, music and spaces for socialising, becoming a central hub for athletes and their entourage members.

The OQS, hosted in Shanghai and Budapest, represents a significant milestone in the athletes’ journey towards Paris 2024. It served as the ultimate qualification stage for the four sports, with over 150 athletes securing quota places for Paris 2024. The OQS provided a preview of the electrifying experience that awaits spectators in Paris.

The OQS Budapest was streamed live globally via Olympics.com and was available on linear TV and/or digitally in 128 territories.