London Test Event: Flash Quotes

Here are their reactions!   1/16 eliminations Recurve Men   Rick van den OEVER (NED)   On the benefits of having a test event:   “It is great shooting here. I think this is a good chance to get accustomed to the British weather which is unpredictable. This test event is really useful and I hope to qualify and be here next year.”   On the experience of shooting in a big arena:   “I shot a couple of finals in stadium like this one, for example in the Youth Olympics Games 2010 (in Singapore), when I won the silver, but it is always an exciting experience.”   “You always feel the pressure but now having the audience behind your shoulder makes you feel alone.”   “I know next year some tribunes will be built, so the feeling will be pretty different. However this has been a great and important experience to get to know the timing, the schedule and the venue of the Olympic Games.”   Rick van der VEN (NED)   On shooting too long:   “I had a little bit of a problem with the length of my shot, it was too long. It was not a problem in the first round, but here it was.”   On shooting a three in the second set:   “It was way too long. I also hit my bow on that shot and it went too long. ”     WANG Cheng Pang (TPE)   On the weather:   “It is cooler today but I have become accustomed to the conditions here. I feel comfortable, just like I did at Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008. You get used to the conditions.”   Piotr NOWAK (POL)   On why he lost:   “I didn’t have enough luck. I don’t really know. The last shot was a seven.  I thought it was a better shot. It felt like a nine on release. That’s just the way it goes sometimes.”   “There was definitely more wind on the right side, and it gave me problems making a good shot but, again, that is what happens.”   On his preparation regime:   “I shoot about 200 arrows a day when there are no major competitions at the end of the season but this rises to around 400 in the season.”   CHENG Chu Sian (MAS)   On his second competition of the day:   “It was better than the last time and I’m slowly getting accustomed to it (the competition at Lord’s).”   Hideki KIKUCHI (JPN)   On the shoot-off:   “Towards the end I knew I could play in my own way and that made me feel better.”   On the wind:   “It’s very difficult, it seems to come from both sides and meets in the middle, so it’s very difficult to read and very cold!”   Andres GOMEZ (ESP)   On losing in the shoot-off:   “ I am disappointed with the result and I feel that I could have won it. So it was unfortunate that I scored a nine in the shoot-off.”   On the new scoring format:   “It’s good. It is much better than the old one, and makes the match more spectacular.”   1/32 eliminations Recurve Men   Simon TERRY (GBR)   On missing with his last arrow of the third set:   “I was just about to let go and the wind blew me off course. It’s tricky here with the wind. I was nice and balanced, nice and relaxed and was just about to let go. It’s difficult to know where to aim, but you have to reset yourself and you can get back in it in the next set.”   On the struggle this season:   “This hasn’t been the best of years for me, I have struggled a lot this year. But I have seen an improvement, just this last month I’ve come on leaps and bounds. I could have done with two more months before this event, but I’m focused on the big one next year.”   Robert LANDSKAUG (NOR)   On his missed shot:   “Just as I was going to release it, the wind suddenly gusted and I was thrown off my aim. I could have released it but it was a never going to hit the target. ”   On the prospect of qualifying for the London 2012 Olympic Games:   “We hope to qualify a full team at Ogden next year. We have one more spot and I’m not No. 1 at the moment so I am keeping my fingers crossed.”   Baard NESTENG (NOR)   On the range and the conditions:   “It’s good to experience it and know what it will be like for next year. The best thing is getting to know the arena and getting to know the routines for next year.”   “I found it comfortable and the arena can create difficult wind conditions.”   On being first on the range but first out of the competition:   “It’s quite special and it feels good. I’m going to watch my teammates and experience London.”   CHENG Chu Sian (MAS)   On his performance:   “I did not perform very well because I was too cold. I used the match as a training exercise.”   Antti TEKONIEMI (FIN)   On coming up against a higher ranked opponent:   “I had no pressure.  I just needed to concentrate on my shooting, but I shot a seven in the last round and that was not good.”   Ryan TYACK (AUS)   On the playing conditions:   “The first two ends were all right, but then the gusts started to come through and it was hard to steady my arm when shooting. It puts you out and you need to hold steady. ”   On what he’ll take away from the event:   “I know what to expect from the weather now. I just need to keep working on my shooting and get better. ”   Patrick RIVEST-BUNSTER (CAN)   On his performance:     “This is the first time I shot an individual elimination in an international competition, so I got stressed. I was at the world championships in Turin last summer but I was there with my team.”   On the London Archery Classic:   “This is not only an international competition, this is one the most important events, even if it is just a test. I've found shooting very difficult due to the stress.”   “Every action, every movement, everything was stressful for me and not because of the venue or because of the weather but because this is my first experience.”     1/16 eliminations Recurve Women   Carrie WEGH (NED)   On shooting with wet arrows:   “We had the sun, we had the wind and then we had the rain too. I shot the first wet arrows of this competition.”   On the struggle with the wind:   “Sometimes I could feel it on my body but my arrows did not respond. Instead sometimes I saw the flags were down but my arrows were affected by the strong wind at the target.”   “It became very cold and it is hard to shoot when you are freezing.”   On the test event:   “It is really amazing being here, in such a big stadium. Normally only the finals are shot in a place like this but here we had the chance of showing off a bit.”   “This is a huge place, you feel the pressure but you also want to show everybody how good you are. I did my best and I hope I will have the chance to be here next year.”   Heather KOEHL (USA)   On how the first rain helped:   “That rain was OK. The rain was falling in a certain way and it actually helped me to tell where the wind was coming from. We don’t get rain so often in the States (USA) so it is not as common for me to shoot in the rain. It helped me.”   Karina LIPIARSKA (POL)   On being nervous during the competition:   “I was confident before the start but, when I got to the line, I felt like a sponge. It was terrible shooting inside a stadium like this – it was my first experience doing an Olympic test.”   “But when I get back I aim to train my confidence and work to improve. To join the team you must be your best and I hope to do that and join the Polish archery team.”   Justyna MOSPINEK (POL)   On the weather conditions:   “Today is a very cold day, so archers from some countries may have some difficulties. I did not have any, because in Poland the weather is cold and I am used to it. Moreover shooting just a match or two is not a big problem even with these weather conditions.”   On the scoring set system:   “This system is new for the Olympics, we still have to get used to it. I do not know if I like it or not, sometimes I think it is not fair. It happened to me twice to end a match tying at 5-5 and then I lost the match because my shoot-off arrow was not the closest one.”   “At the World Championships in Turin I lost to Amy OLIVER (GBR) in the 1/16 Eliminations, but we had both shot a 10. Her arrow was closer to the centre. It was only a matter of millimetres. The same happened at the World Cup in Ogden. At the shoot-off we both scored a 9, but the other archer’s arrow was three millimetres closer to the centre. It is a matter of luck sometimes.”   On the match:   “I enjoyed today’s match and now I have two days off to relax a bit. I do not know who will be my opponent in the 1/8 Eliminations but here everybody is shooting at a high level, so with every one of them it may be a tough challenge. We will see.”   Berengere SCHUH (FRA)   On preparing for the London 2012 Olympic Games:   “I need to do a lot. This was the last competition of a very long season. I prepared for this competition differently than I will do for the Olympics. I need to improve my game before March and definitely before the Games next year. I need to do a lot of preparation.”   On her performance:   “ I could have shot better.”   Elena YACHNIK (BLR)   On her performance:   “I managed to get to the shoot-off after scoring 5-5 and now I am out due to the last arrow. It was a tough match. I cannot be happy but I cannot do anything about that.”   Deonne BRIDGER (AUS)   On shooting two fours in the match:     “It’s just a match. I had a couple of arrows that weren’t very good but you can’t dwell on it.”   “It was windy and I had some problems with my kit but you can’t get too downhearted.”   On what she has taken from the event:   “We’ve had a lot of technique changes, so we came to acclimatise ourselves. Coming from Australia and our connection with cricket it’s been great being here. ”   Khatuna LORIG (USA)   On dealing with the wind:   “It is a tricky wind here today. I take my guidance from the windsocks rather than from the smaller flags on the targets. In some places we shoot it’s really open and quiet but it is much swirlier in stadiums; it isn’t a consistent wind.”   On her performance so far:   “This is where I want to be and to enjoy my perfect shots.”   1/32 eliminations Recurve Women   Valentine de GIULI (SUI)     On problems with the wind:   “My performance was influenced by the wind. I shot here yesterday with the team and the wind did not cause any problem to me. Instead today it was pushing and pulling me and I did not find a comfortable position to shoot. I am not accustomed to this weather.”   On her immediate plans:   “I think I will go sightseeing and definitely I want to go shopping in London. Of course, I will also be here supporting my teammates.”   Louise LAURSEN (DEN)   On losing the match:   “It’s not fun to lose but I was not shooting my best. I tried, but I haven’t been shooting well these days. I know my level is not high enough, but I will keep training hard. ”   On preparing for the London 2012 Olympic Games:   “I really hope to be at the Games. We have a lot of training competitions and matches indoors and outdoors, so I’m hoping.”   Deonne BRIDGER (AUS)   On shooting two fours in the match:     “It’s just a match. I had a couple of arrows that weren’t very good but you can’t dwell on it.”   “It was windy and I had some problems with my kit but you can’t get too downhearted.”   On what she has taken from the event:   “We’ve had a lot of technique changes, so we came to acclimatise ourselves. Coming from Australia and our connection with cricket it’s been great being here. ”   Helena FERNANDEZ (ESP)   On her performance:   “It went well for me considering my high-ranking opponent. It is better for mid-ranking archers like myself especially with such high ranking archers like the Koreans in the competition.”   On the new system for scoring:   “I prefer it as it keeps you in with a chance for longer.”   On being in London:   “I have five more days to spend sightseeing in London. I might go and see the Big Ben.”   By LOCOG ONS London’s Prepare Series