Martin DAMSBO: “It feels really good to be back in the final”

Martin, how does it feel to be back in a final?

It feels really good. I put in a lot of effort to do as much as I can this season; I went to pre-training in Australia before I came here. So yes, I am very happy that everything went so well so far. 

Your race to reach this final is quite impressive: you passed many favourites along the way like ELZINGA, PAGNI and WILDE.

We’ve met so many times; they win, I win. So I am very happy that it worked out for me this time with all of them. ELZINGA had me a few times, then I had him. I had PAGNI also but the last time he beat me at the European Outdoor Championships. Regarding WILDE, he had me at the Indoor World Cup in Las Vegas, so I am happy to have stopped him this time. 

Now you will face another favourite, as is Braden GELLENTHIEN (USA), whom you beat in the Antalya final three years ago. Sounds like a rematch… or is it a revenge?

We will see. It will all be depending on the shooting tomorrow because Braden is really on fire again this year, as he was last year. On that crucial day you really have to be in good shape to beat him. I hope to be in that place competitively. 

Today you could not take part in the team event. Why couldn’t you have a complete Danish team here?

Because of the money! Unfortunately it is too expensive. Despite the fact that we receive good funding from our federation – they normally support half of the travel costs –, this time the trip was fully paid for by the archers. 

Your first selection to the senior team was in 2003. How could you summarise your evolution as an athlete during the past ten years?

(He thinks a bit)… I do not know. I have always loved archery and I have kept working harder and harder, step by step. I try to improve year after year but it is hard to be on top every time like Reo WILDE did last year for instance. It is about getting a high average and keeping it up. 

Can you tell us a bit about your draw weight and length?

I am shooting with a Matthew APEX 8 with a 29 ¼” draw length and 59,5 lbs, depending on which scales I use, but about 59 to 60 pounds on average. I always shoot the same weight in both outdoor and indoor seasons because I do not like having to get used to high poundage outdoors and low poundage indoors. Also I like to have a lot of holding weight to work with, so I won’t get too lazy. 

This year is busy for you with the World Games and the World Championships, apart from the World Cup. How did you set your preparation for these events and what are your priorities?

I spent a lot of time during the indoor season to improve my technique a little bit, so I hope it is getting better. I also spent a lot more time shooting in outdoor conditions in Australia. Therefore, we will see if I can use my strength to be strong enough to shoot in windy conditions, because World Archery always puts the finals in windy spots. Then I will go back to Australia to do a bit more shooting, because in Denmark before I went to Australia the first time, we did not have a day above 12°C, so it is really hard for us to be ready early in the year. Normally at the end of the season we are good, but when we start the season it is really hard and that is why we put so much effort in before the start of the seaon. 

World Archery Communication