London 2012 Singles Qualification: Estonian edged-out Evans, Harrington’s heartache

After 363 days and 110 tournaments, the qualifiers for the 2012 Olympic Games from 52 Members Associations have been determined upon the publication of the BWF World Ranking on Thursday 3 May 2012.

This World Ranking has recorded the average points of the top 10 results of each athlete accumulated at BWF-sanctioned tournaments held between 3 May 2011 and 29 April 2012.
The two singles disciplines saw photo-finish moments at the end of the London 2012 Qualification race.
Men’s Singles: Official BWF Qualification List
In the men’s singles, a total of 40 places from 34 Members Associations have been awarded, with 38 spots awarded as per regulations and 2 provisional spots (*) were awarded to ensure the gender equity of 82 representatives of each gender is achieved.
The provisional spots were determined based on the number of male and female players who have qualified for more than one discipline, as such, 2 male and 8 female players have qualified in more than one of the five disciplines on 3 May.
2 Tripartite places were also awarded in the men’s singles discipline to Suriname’s Virgil Soeroredjo and Maldive’s Mohamed Ajfan Rasheed as per recommendations of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The 5 continents were also assured of representations by the Federation with Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei (Asia, pictured left), Denmark’s Peter Gade (Europe), Guatemala’s Kevin Cordon (Pan Am), Uganda’s Edwin Ekiring (Africa) and New Zealand’s James Eunson (Oceania) named as the top representative of each of the 5 continents on 3 May.
Peru's Rodrigo Pachecho Carrillo is given a provisional qualification spot based on 3 May’s World Ranking, while world number 66 Raul Must scooped the other and last spot.
The Estonian has pipped Ireland’s Scott Evans by just 55.08 points, which, puts the Irishman first on the reserve list. Reserves will only be sent an invitation if there's a withdrawal.
Women’s Singles: Official BWF Qualification List#
In the women’s singles, a total of 46 places from 42 Members Associations have been awarded, with 38 spots awarded as per regulations and 8 provisional spots (*) are currently awarded to ensure the gender equity as mentioned above.
No tripartite places were awarded in the women’s singles discipline.
The 5 continents were also assured of representations by the Federation with China’s Wang Yihan (Asia), Denmark’s Tine Baun (Europe, pictured right), Canada’s Michelle Li (Pan Am), Egypt’s Hadia Hosny (Africa) and New Zealand’s Michelle Chan (Oceania, pictured bottom left) named as the top representative of each of the 5 continents on 3 May.
Despite of the assured African continental qualification spot, Hadia Hosny has also taken the last of the 8 provisional women's singles invitations based on 3 May's World Rankings, edging out South Africa’s Kerry-Lee Harrington by just 45.506 points.
However, as South Africa have been awarded two continental qualification tickets in the doubles, then for Harrington to be London-bound via continental qualification (in the event if Hadia turns down her invitation), will mean South Africa will have to choose to forfeit one of the continental qualification invitations as each country is only entitled to a maximum of two continental qualification tickets.
Australia's Victoria Na has taken the first provisional qualifier spot based on 3 May's World Rankings, but unlike Harrington, even if Michelle Chan turns down her invitation then Victoria will take the last confirmed spot based on ranking regulations, as well as being Oceania's top representative without hindering the two Continental Qualification tickets that have been awarded to her teammates in the men's and women's doubles.
Singles Country Quota
With country quota in place, countries with more than 2 singles players qualified in the Top 16 such as Denmark in men’s singles, or more than 3 singles players qualified in the Top 4 such as China in women’s singles, will have to take their pick on the two (if Top 16) or three (if Top 4) to send to London.
2 singles players per country can qualify if they are ranked in the Top 16 on 3 May but a country can have up to 3 singles representatives if they are ranked in the Top 4 on 3 May.
Every other country will also have a decision to make as long as they have more than one singles player ranked above the last qualified player sans Continental Qualification.
All Member Associations have until 31 May to decide on their representatives for the 2012 London Olympic Games in accordance to the quota(s) decided by the BWF to balance having the best players and global diversity at the Games.
Withdrawals and reserves replacements are however possible until 20 July 2012. The live draw ceremony will be held on 23 July 2012 in London.
For further enquiries, do contact BWF Communications Officer Jan j.lin@bwfbadminton.org.
#Editor's note: A management decision was taken to clarify the women's singles qualification regulations on Friday 4 May afternoon, thereby resulting in a clearer standing on the women's singles Olympic qualification list that has been updated on the website.