30 May 2011 - Athlete of the Week: Victoriya KOVAL (UKR)

Athlete of the Week: Victoriya KOVAL (UKR) Lausanne – 30 May 2011  The Ukrainian recurve woman Victoriya KOVAL is in top form. Thanks to consistency so far this season she has reached her best ever world ranking, being 6th in the world at the end of May 2011. Next week in Antalya, Turkey she will aim at defending the title she won last year at the Archery World Cup Stage 2.   In 2010 after winning in Antalya and receiving her prize by none the less than famous Olympian and IOC Member Sergey BUBKA photo, KOVAL qualified for the World Cup Final in Edinburgh, Scotland where she finished 2nd, defeated in the gold medal match only by Korea's YUN Ok-Hee. She also won the European Grand Prix in Moscow last year.   KOVAL definitely likes competing in Turkey: together with her victory in 2010, she finished 2nd individually in 2008. She also won the team bronze medal at the 2007 World Archery Indoor Championships and the individual bronze at the 2005 Universiades; both events took place in Izmir.   KOVAL, who will turn 26 during the Antalya event, next week, is also an Olympian. She took part in the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing where she was eliminated in the second round by the No. 12 seed Aida ROMAN from Mexico. KOVAL was however a favourite entering the Beijing Games, as she finished 4th at the Test Event.   KOVAL will have to lead the Ukrainian team to an Olympic qualification next month at the World Championships in Turin. Last but not least, in Turin she will also be a candidate for the Athletes Committee for the next term of four years.   Biography Extract:  Victoriya KOVAL (UKR) – Born 11 June 1985  2nd Individual World Cup Final Edinburgh 2010 1st Individual European Grand Prix Moscow 2010 1st Individual World Cup Antalya 2010 1st Team World Cup Porec 2010 2nd Team Universiade Belgrade 2009 23rd Individual Olympic Games Beijing 2008 3rd Team World Indoor Championships Izmir 2007 3rd Individual Universiade Izmir 2005   More results information on Victoriya KOVAL and all other archers at the World Archery website as well as his own Facebook page.   World Archery Communication