Padel makes its debut at the European Games 2023
The third edition of the European Games kicks off this Wednesday in Krakow, Poland, marking the first appearance of padel and a significant step towards becoming an Olympic discipline.
The European Games 2023 begin, with approximately 7,000 athletes from 48 countries competing in 29 sports, including the official debut of padel, with medals at stake in the Men's, Women's, and Mixed categories.
Yesterday, the draw for the brackets took place at the Hilton Hotel, and the matchups have been determined. Today, the competition begins at the Ksos Center courts in Krakow, with Spain emerging as the favorite in all three categories.
In addition to Spain; France, Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Portugal are definitely in the race, but considering the rapid growth of padel in various European countries, surprises may be in store.
"The largest sporting event since London 2012"
The EG2023 will serve as a significant showcase for padel on its path to becoming an Olympic sport. The competition is of utmost importance on the road to the Games, as it provides direct qualification for a large number of disciplines and awards points for Olympic ranking.
"It is the largest sporting event held in Europe since London 2012. Many competitions allow qualification for the upcoming Olympic Games. The best European athletes are here, and that makes us proud," said Hasan Arat, President of the European Olympic Committee's Commission, during the press conference.
Top seeds
Men's category
- García/Rodríguez ESP
- Gala/Santigosa ESP
- Leygue-Scatena FRA
- Maigret-Tison FRA
Women's category
- Barrera/Caparros ESP
- Cánovas/Martínez ESP
- Pappacena/Sussarello ITA
- Orsi/Marchetti ITA
