Joaquin Niemann finishes ninth at Paris 2024 and is close to Olympic qualification

Joaquín Niemann ends his journey in Paris 2024 at the top and improves by one position his performance in Tokyo 2020. A final round with mixed feelings for the Talagantino, who arrived on Sunday with the hope of being able to fight for a medal.

That didn’t come to fruition after 18 holes that left him in ninth place with an overall score of 12 under par, just one away from eighth place, which would have resulted in his first Olympic medal of his career and the country’s second at these Games. . Niemann in any case, It is positioned as the third best performance of the country in France tied with the Abraham sisters (rowing) and surpassed only by Macarena Pérez (fifth in BMX Freestyle) and Francisca Crovetto (Gold in skeet shooting).

The LIV star had a three-under-par day, still playing in the last few places of the top ten, which in turn transformed him into best latin american olympic golf in paris leaving Alejandro Tosti (T18), Carlos Ortiz (T26), Rafa Campos (T30), Fabricio Zanotti (T35), Nico Echevarría (T35), Abraham Ancer (T35), Emiliano Grillo (T43), Mito Pereira (T45) and Camilo Villegas (T57).

Mito Pereira’s best lap at Paris 2024 came on Sunday. The problem was that it wasn’t a medal fight, but an attempt to get out of the deep end. The Pirque native had a tough time in France, finishing rounds above par on Friday and Saturday, which led to him finding himself at the bottom of the standings.

That’s why the LIV player had spoken about enjoying what was left, rather than putting pressure on himself for the result. And under these codes came his best day. Over the last 18 holes of the tournament, he shot a round of five under par that allowed him to finish at +1.

He climbed ten places in the general ranking, finishing his second Olympic Games in 45th place. A totally different scenario from the one he experienced in Tokyo, where he finished fourth, won the Olympic diploma and positioned himself as the Chilean with the best result in this ring event.

Until Sunday, there were only three possible gold medalists. Jon Rahm, Xander Schaffele and Hideki Matsuyama were the strongest names in the early rounds, leading a ruling monarchy that seemed unbreakable.

But the world number one appeared and destroyed all logic. He managed a final round of -9 and climbed to the top with an overall record of -19, leaving behind the Olympic dream of all those who were leaders in the first three days. Tommy Fleetwood also got involved in the scenario and won the silver medal, while Matsuyama closed the podium with the bronze medal in his hands.

The most painful story of the day was told by Jon Rahm, who started the day as the leader, then had a three-shot lead over his pursuers and finished in fifth place with a double bogey, a birdie and two bogeys in the last five holes.