SEOK: “The entire team will dance the Gangnam style”

Korea (No. 2) challenged top qualifier USA in the mixed team gold medal match. All four athletes displayed excellent scores in a battle between American experience and Korean technique. Braden GELLENTHIEN and Erika JONES, who both shoot for three golds here in Shanghai, had the best start with 39 points. The 9 was Braden’s first of the day! The USA led 39-38. The scores of the second end were the same. This match displayed the contrast between the Americans’ very dynamic shooting versus the Korean technique, more static and closer to the recurve technique. Korea shot a perfect 40 in the third end, putting pressure on JONES/GELLENTHIEN who only led by one point before the last four arrows. The scores became tied with two arrows remaining, however SEOK Ji Hyun and MIN Lihong opened the door with two 9s. JONES shot a 9, meaning GELLENTHIEN needed a 10 to win - and he delivered, with a 10 just on the line. Gold medal for the USA! 

The Italian pair of Sergio PAGNI and Marcella TONIOLI (No. 5) was the heavy favourite in the bronze medal match against a surprising appearance from Finland (No. 14). However Mikko JUUTILAINEN and Anne LANTEE had the best start to lead 38-36. The more experienced Italian archers came back in the second end with 39 points to recover the lead 75-74, and soon led 114-112 Finland suffered an 8 by LANTEE in the final end while JUUTILAINEN was impressive with two 10s. Over the whole match, he had just one 9 and only 10s! However, it was not enough; Italy concluded with good scores to win the match 151-149. 

The men’s individual final was between the two athletes who scored the most 10s over the whole competition: top qualifier Martin DAMSBO (DEN), who qualified over world No. 1 Reo WILDE, and World Cup Final title holder Braden GELLENTHIEN (USA/3). Moreover, it was a rematch of the Antalya 2010 final, won by the archer from Denmark. Today’s match was a mental battle. Both men seemed calm and started – obviously! – with 10-10-10-10-10-9. DAMSBO dropped a point in the third end. Meanwhile GELLENTHIEN, shooting very fast and smoothly, seemed unstoppable. He released 10 after 10, and led 119-116 before the last three arrows. The American concluded with 29 points to win the match and his third gold medal of the day! “I had already won three gold medals at University Championships, but this is the first time at a World Archery event”, commented the man of the day. 

The bronze medal match featured Reo WILDE (USA/5) and Dave COUSINS (USA/18), who have won many world team titles together. They met twice last year and WILDE won both times by a large margin. Today both men shot 29 points in their first two ends. WILDE was not shooting as smoothly as usual; nonetheless he took a small advantage in the third end thanks to two 9s by COUSINS (87-86). After both men shot 29 points in the fourth end, COUSINS concluded with 29 points to which WILDE answered with a perfect 10-10-10 for the bronze medal. This match had major significance for both men, considering that only the top two athletes per country earn a spot to the World Cup Final. 

On the women’s side, the gold medal match was between big surprise of this category SEOK Ji Hyun (KOR/4) and former World Cup Final winner Erika JONES (USA/2). The 23-year-old Korean was the Universiade champion and Asian champion in 2009, and had not competed internationally for over two years. She beat double world champion and world No. 1 Albina LOGINOVA (RUS) to advance to this final. Her opponent JONES was competing in her first World Cup medal match since 2011. The archers had already faced each other twice earlier today, in the team and mixed team finals. Even though she looked nervous, SEOK opened with a perfect end followed by 29 points to lead JONES 59-57. SEOK shot another impressive series of 10-10-10 in the third end, increasing her lead to four points. The Korean, who needed just 27 points in the final end to win, delivered: she scored 29 for an excellent total of 147. What an impressive World Cup start for SEOK, who claimed her third medal of the day after the team gold and mixed team silver. The Korean archer, who delighted spectators with a “Gangnam Style” dance upon claiming the gold medal, promised: “If we win the team gold medal at the World Championships, then the entire team will dance the ‘Gangnam style.’ 

In the bronze medal match, Carli COCHRAN (No. 6), competing in her first World Cup event, had the hard task of facing Albina LOGINOVA. The 20-year-old, visibly nervous, had a few bad arrows including an 8 in the first half to trail 55-58. The experienced LOGINOVA was shooting very smoothly and led by five points before the last three arrows. The humidity made COCHRAN’s nerves an even greater factor, making it harder for her to feel the bow and seemingly, her own movements. She took a lot of time and released her final arrow at the last second for a 6. LOGINOVA won the bronze medal, 141-135. 

The competition continues tomorrow with the recurve finals. 

World Archery Communication