Another nine places in the sailing competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games were allocated as the laser world championship came to an end this week. The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has confirmed that Argentina, Chile, Estonia, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, Montenegro, Peru, South Africa and Spain secured places in the men’s one-person dinghy event at next year’s Olympic Games.

Among the highlights was Stefano Peschiera earning Peru a place in Brazil – the first time the country has won an Olympic place through the qualification process. However, Peschiera’s participation in Rio is not yet confirmed as sailors win Olympic slots for their National Olympic Committees, who make the final decision on whether or not to use the quota and which athlete to send.

Of the 46 places available on the start line in the Rio 2016 laser event, 23 were won at last year’s ISAF Sailing World Championships in Santander, Spain, while Brazil has one place guaranteed as host nation. At the laser world championships, which were held in Kingston, Canada, from 2-8 July, the top nine placed nations that had not secured an Olympic place last year in Spain, earned slots in Rio.

Eleven more places will be awarded via a series of continental qualification events, while the remaining two berths will be granted by invitation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

After 13 races in Canada, Great Britain’s Nick Thompson won his first laser world title, with Germany’s Philipp Buhl second and Australia’s Tom Burton third. All of these nations had already secured Olympic slots in Santander.

ISAF is organising continental qualification events for the first time in order to develop sailing around the world and reflect IOC principles, which aim to ensure the participation of the best athletes and representation from all continents.

Rio2016.com is not an absolute authority on qualification for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which is an ongoing process. Final places will only be confirmed in July 2016 (for the Olympic Games) and August 2016 (for the Paralympic Games). The qualification systems are defined by each sport’s respective International Federation and the International Olympic Committee or International Paralympic Committee, and are subject to change. When an athlete or team wins a quota place for their nation, the final decision on whether this ‘slot’ is used and which athletes are sent is taken by the respective National Olympic Committee or National Paralympic Committee (NOC or NPC). Even when athletes win a ‘nominal’ place for themselves, NOCs/NPCs may have to decide who to send if the number of qualified athletes from one country exceeds the quota.