Korea takes first-ever gold for compound women

The spectacular shores of the Huangpu River in downtown Shanghai hosted the compound team medal matches this morning. Athletes displayed significant talent despite constant rain. 

The men’s gold medal match featured the “unbeatable” United States and No. 3 Italy. The U.S. won last year’s three World Cup stages as a team, while Italy was chasing their first World Cup team title since 2008. The U.S. won all of their seven previous matchups since 2007. The multi-time world champions opened the match with a perfect 60 to set the tone. Over the whole match, they scored mostly 10s, except for one 9 by WILDE, one 9 and one 8 by WILLETT. GELLENTHIEN, who will shoot the individual gold medal match later today, was absolutely perfect with twelve 10s. Meanwhile Italy had a few bad arrows including a 7. Victory 236-228 and gold medal for the USA! 

The men’s bronze medal match featured two teams shooting for their first World Cup compound team medal: No. 2 Korea and No. 4 Australia. Korea took a one-point advantage in the first end (56-55). Both teams posted 59 points in the second end, moving the score to 115-114 for Korea. That team doubled the gap in the third end (172-170) and kept their two-point advantage before the last three arrows. Australia concluded with 10-10-10, puting pressure on their opponents. Korea started with 10-10 and needed a final 9 to win the match, which they delivered! Final score: 230-229. 

On the women’s side, No. 2 Korea challenged top qualifier United States for the gold medal. The U.S. had World Cup Final winners Erika JONES and Jamie VAN NATTA as well as newcomer Carli COCHRAN. Korea’s CHOI Bomin, SEOK Ji Hyun and YOUN So Jung were not as decorated in the past, but posted an event-high 234 in earlier rounds. The Koreans capitalised on three 8s from the USA to build an incredible seven point lead in the first end (59-52). The USA then repeated their score of 52, while Korea posted 58 to lead by thirteen points, 117-104. Korea went on to win the final 231-216. Upon winning their first-ever compound team medal at a World Cup event, the Koreans declared: “it’s a big pleasure for us and this gives us a lot confidence for getting more medals for the future”. 

The bronze medal final was a rematch of last year’s, easily won by Italy. This year the Italian team made up of Katia D'AGOSTINO and former Shanghai individual champions Laura LONGO (2011) and Marcella TONIOLI (2012) trailed India by two points after the first end. D'AGOSTINO shot a 7 in the second end, allowing India to increase their lead to four points at the halfway mark. A final 8 by India in the third end narrowed the gap to three points: 171-168. Shooting first in the last end, Italy suffered two 8s, while India concluded the match with 8-9-10-10-10-10 for a victory 228-223. This bronze medal was India’s first in the compound women’s category at a World Cup. “We feel very proud to be Indians and we are very happy!” said the athletes. “This was the first major event for Trisha DEB, so what a start!” 

World Archery Communication