The start of the road to Tokyo

  The recurve athletes played in the set system (best of five sets, two points per set). The compounds played 15-arrow matches with cumulative score.   World Cup rankings are regularly updated on our website.   Recurve Men – 1/48The Frenchman Thomas FAUCHERON (FRA) had a chance in the World Cup ranking before coming to Ogden but he is not having a good week so far. First, his plane was cancelled and didn’t get in until late the night before the qualifications. Then he ranked 101 in the qualifications. This morning, he started OK and his match against the No. 12 seed Luis ALVAREZ (MEX) was tied at 3 set points each. In the fourth and fifth set, FAUCHERON scored 9-8-9 and 8-7-9, while ALVAREZ had 9-8-10 and 9-9-10 to win the match 7-3.   The Youth Olympic champion Ibrahim SABRY (EGY) has talent. He brought another proof of this in this match against the Commonwealth champion Rahul BANERJEE (IND). SABRY took the first set, but BANERJEE responded strong in the second and the third to take a 4-2 lead. Then the Indian athlete scored decent sets (10-9-8 and 9-10-9). However the Egyptian was perfect with 10-10-10- and 10-10-10 (!) to win the match 6 set points to 4.   In other notable matches, Ryan TYACK (AUS) defeated Michael PEART (GBR) 6-4 (9-9-8 to 10-8-6 in the fifth set). Jay LYON (CAN) and Aki VIRTANEN (FIN) both survived a shoot-off (10-9) against respectively Fatih BOZLAR (TUR) and Keyvan RIYAZIMEHR (IRI). Luca MELOTTO (ITA) put a big blow at CHENG Chu Sian (MAS) chances to reach the World Cup Final. The Malaysian lost 2-6 (28-29, 26-29, 28-26, 28-30). There was a match-up between two other Tokyo contenders. Jeff HENKELS (LUX) beat Juan I. RODRIGUEZ (ESP) 6-4 (24-28, 27-25, 25-27, 29-27, 27-26)! Recurve Men – 1/24   Olympic Champion Marco GALIAZZO (ITA) has found his way to Jayanta TALUKARD (IND) again! They have met six times since the World Cup started and TALUKDAR led five victories to one. This time GALIAZZO shot well: 10-10-10, 8-9-9, 10-10-9 and 10-10-10. TALAKUDAR had 9-8-7, 9-10-10-, 10-8-9, 9-9-10. In set score evolution, it was clear: 2-0, 2-2, 4-2, 6-2 for the Italian! In another match, two of his teammates met one another. Mauro NESPOLI finished with 9-10-10 and 10-10-9 to beat Luca MELOTTO 6-2 and that could be important for their internal Olympic selection. The fourth Italian in the competition, Michele FRANGILLI, trailed Joe FANCHIN (USA) 0-4—the American started the match with 10-10-10 and 10-9-9. FRANGILLI came back strong with 10-10-10 and 10-10-9 to tie the match at 4-4. In the fifth set, the Italian made 9-9-9. FANCHIN scored 9-10 and a 7, letting the victory go to his opponent.   The Rick VAN DER VEN (NED)-Gael PREVOST (FRA) match went to the limit. Scoring a perfect third set, the Dutch actually took a 5-1 lead. However PREVOST won the fourth set (10-10-9 to 10-9-9) and fifth (10-10-9 to 9-10-9) to tie the match at 5-5. In the shoot-off, VAN DER VEN scored 10! PREVOST hit an X10 and advanced to the next round!   Jeff HENCKELS (LUX) lost his chances to go to Tokyo by losing to Miguel Angel VELIZ (ESA) in the second round 3-7 (30-26, 28-29, 28-28, 27-29, 27-30). Finally, there was a match-up between two contenders for the World Cup Final: Gomborodj GAN ERDENE (MGL) vs Piotr NOWAK (POL). The athlete from Mongolia was simply better, 6-2 (29-26, 29-27, 27-28, 29-26).   Recurve Women – 1/48In another Italian dual today, the young Guendalina SARTORI defeated the great Natalia VALEEVA! SARTORI grabbed a 3-1 lead in set points, before VALEEVA responded strongly with 9-8-10 (27) and 9-9-10 (28). In the meantime, SARTORI scored 10-6-8 (24) and 8-8-10 (26) losing these two sets. Guendalina trailed 3-5 at this point. However she managed to send the match to a shoot-off by winning the fifth set (8-9-10 to 9-9-8). In the shoot-off, SARTORI scored 9, but VALEEVA could not do better than an 8!   Ren HAYAKAWA (JPN) and world silver medallist Kristine ESEBUA (GEO) played a tight match, to say the least! They tied the first set 27-27. Then HAYAKAWA scored 27 and 26, while ESEBUA did 26 and 27. Same story in the fourth and the fifth. HAYAKAWA had 29 and 26, while ESEBUA scored 26 and 29. Shoot-off! They both scored 9! However the Georgian was the closest to the centre!   Although having some difficulties with her shooting (let downs) Miranda LEEK was solid in her scoring: 8-9-8, 10-9-10, 8-9-9, X10-8-8 and 10-9-9. Her opponent, Erwina SAFITRI (INA), scored in the same time 7-8-10, 8-10-10, 7-7-10, 9-9-9 and 7-9-7. In set points evolution it translated to a victory for LEEK: 1-1, 3-1, 5-1, 5-3, 7-3!   Three other notables on the World Cup ranking lost: Naomi FOLKARD (GBR), Valentine DE GIULI (SUI) and Sareh ASADI (IRI).   Recurve Women – 1/24 Berengere SCHUH could not pass by her opponent of the second round, Nadya RUIZ (PUR). SCHUH trailed all the time (1-3, 1-5, 3-5) and her 8-9-9 in the fifth set did not allow her to tie the match at the end. RUIZ scored 9-9-9 in the last set to win 7-3.   Heather KOEHL (USA) defeated a contender for the World Cup Final, Chuluun OYUNSUREN (MGL) 6-2 (26-25, 23-24, 28-26, 27-25).   There were two German duals in this round! Elena RICHTER and Lisa UNRUH tied at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3. Then RICHTER took a 5-3 lead but UNRUH came back at 5-5. In the shoot-off, RICHTER scored 8 and UNRUH took the victory with a 10! In the other duel, Karina WINTER beat Veronica HAIDN TCHALOVA 6-2 (28-23, 26-26, 29-23, 27-27) to stay alive in the World Cup ranking.   The No. 42 Miranda LEEK (USA) who had equipment problems during the qualification round faced Carina Rose CHRISTIANSEN (DEN) the No. 23 seed. The match began with a 1-1 tie. In the second end CHRISTIANSEN beat LEEK 28-26 to give her a 3-1 lead. LEEK responded with a perfect 30 to CHRISTIANSEN’s 26 to tie up the match at 3-3. In the next end CHRISTIANSEN shot a 9-10-9 and LEEK shot 8- 10-X10 to bring the match to 4-4. With the match still tied CHRISTIANSEN shot an 8-9 to LEEK’s 9-9. After two arrows LEEK appeared to have the match in hand. CHRISTIANSEN’s final arrow was a 9. LEEK needed a 9 or better to win the match but she shot a 7 giving CHRISTIANSEN a one point victory ending the match at 6-4. Bishindee URANTUNGALAG (MGL) No. 15 shot against Wioleta MYSZOR (POL) the No. 63 seed. The match was a back in forth battle until the end. The match was tied 3-3 after the fourth end. URANTUNGALA won the fifth set giving her a 5-3 lead over MYSZOR. MYSOR was able to secure a set win tying the sets at 5-5 forcing a shoot off. In the shoot-off both archers shot a 9. After a judges measurement it was ruled that URANTUNGALA’s arrow was closer to the centre and the victor.   Compound Men – 1/24 The still young talent Paris GOICO DE LARA (DOM) and the experienced Patrick COGHLAN (AUS) went to the limit. Paris took the lead 29-27 then 86-83. But Patrick came back at 113-113 and the archers finished at 142-142! In the shoot-off, GOICO DE LARA scored and 8 and COGHLAN took the victory with a 9!   Another Australian, Jacobs DEREK, had a tough time against C.A. RODRIGUEZ (MEX). The score was tied at 57-57, 87-87, before the DEREK took the lead 117-116. However he finished with 10-9-9, while RODRIGUEZ scored 10-10-10 to completely reverse the situation (145-146)!   Compound Women – 1/24 In yet another show-down with two archers from the same country, Cassie MCCALL (AUS) beat Aimee DEAVES (AUS) 135-134! And this was the only case in that category when a higher seed archer upset a lower seed.   The next rounds will be played in the afternoon.   Stayed tuned at www.worldarchery.org!   World Archery Communication