Rajat CHAUHAN overcomes wind to push out World Cup Final winner

Women
Two former World Cup stage winners met in the 1/48 round: Sandrine VANDIONANT (FRA) and Ashley WALLACE (CAN). The French archer took command initially, starting with a perfect 30. But a 6 in the fourth set inverted the advantage, giving WALLACE a one-point lead and the eventual victory.

WALLACE will not match her 5th place finish from the 2009 Worlds, though: in the 1/24 round, she was defeated by SEO Jung Hee (KOR), team silver medallist in 2009. Former World Cup Final winner Luzmary GUEDEZ (VEN) was upset by Melanie LAWTHER (IRL) by just one point. It was the end of the line, too, for both 2007 team champion Gladys WILLEMS (BEL) and Carli COCHRAN (USA). Erika JONES remains as the only United States archer left in the compound women’s event, with an automatic bye into tomorrow’s 1/16 round.

Surprising 15-year-old Iraqi archer Fatimah ALMASHHADANI, tied with Anastasia ANASTASIO (ITA) at 115-115, confidently concluded with 10-10-10 to pick up a ticket into the last 32. Fatimah is the younger sister of London Olympian Rand Saad ALMASHHADANI - and the two sisters are coached by their father. And 18-year-old South African Danelle WENTZEL (photo), winner of the Singapore indoor World Cup stage and competing in her first senior World Championships, outscored Medellin bronze medallist Ana MENDOZA (VEN), 140-139.

Joining these junior sensations in tomorrow’s 1/16 eliminations are several experienced archers: defending silver medallist Pascale LEBECQUE (FRA), two-time Paralympic champion Danielle BROWN (GBR), frequent World Cup medallist Marcella TONIOLI (ITA) and her teammate Katia D’AGOSTINO, talented young Dutch archer Inge VAN CASPEL, World Games runner-up Camilla SOEMOD (DEN), Linda OCHOA (MEX), World Cup Finalist Kristina BERGER (GER) and world field champion Ivana BUDEN (CRO). Sabine SAUTER (GER) deserves a special mention for scoring the highest total in today’s women’s compound competition: 148 points.

Men
As the wind blustered, this afternoon’s biggest upset was delivered by Rajat CHAUHAN (main photo), when he edged World Cup Final champion Martin DAMSBO (DEN) out of World Championship contention in the 1/24 eliminations. The Indian archer, who had scored higher than DAMSBO in the first round, took a 1 point lead in the first end - and kept it. Final score: 143-142.

Sébastien BRASSEUR (FRA), tied at 114 with Dietmar TRILLUS (CAN) after 9 arrows, shot a perfect 30 to hand defeat to the Canadian 2007 World Champion. Two other French archers will join BRASSEUR in the 1/16 round, as World Cup Finalists Dominique GENET and Pierre-Julien DELOCHE won their respective second-round matches, both scoring 141.

Julio Ricardo FIERRO, the first Mexican to win a compound medal at a World Cup Final, recorded a seven-point victory over MIN Lihong, the first Korean compound man to qualify for the World Cup Final. Alexander DAMBAEV, bronze medallist at the Wroclaw World Cup, and teammate Zorigto SOIZHINOV set up an all-Russia match in tomorrow’s 1/16 stage, after winning both matches today.

World Games bronze medallist Roberto HERNANDEZ (ESA) and World Cup stage winner Shaun TEASDALE (NZL) took a tight match to a shoot-off, which TEASDALE won 10-9. After scoring 149 points in the first round, Patrizio HOFER (SUI) managed only 138 in the second - and lost the shoot-off to Michael MATZNER (AUT). Michael CAUWE (BEL) - who won his first World Cup medal in Medellin - also qualified, as did Patrick LAURSEN (DEN), double gold medallist at the Antalya World Cup in June.

All five continents and 22 countries will be represented in the men’s 1/16 round tomorrow, when we resolve all the individual eliminations up to semi-finals level.

World Archery Communication