US junior compound team smash qualification world record

Recurve Junior
Qualification for recurve archers was a FITA Round (1440 Round). Recurve junior men shot 36 arrows at each of 90m, 70m, 50m and 30m; recurve junior women at 70, 60m, 50m and 30m.

Gaël PREVOST, the highest-profile in the category, finished at the top of the results sheet with 1324 points. The 19-year-old French archer, who won the bronze medal at the World Cup Final in 2012 and was part of the French team that won bronze at the World Championships last week, is the man to beat as we move into elimination stages.

Korea’s brightest young talents pose the biggest challenge: KIM Joo Wan (1322), SUK Jun Hee (1322) and YEO Daeho (1320) slotted in at spots two to four at the end of the FITA round. KIM, 19, was cadet world champion in 2009, and junior team champion in 2011. SUK, who turned 17 yesterday, and 16-year-old YEO are competing internationally for the first time.

5th place went to Sjef VAN DEN BERG (NED), world team silver medallist last week in Belek and European team champion in 2012, on 1314 points. Sanjay BORO (IND), cadet bronze medallist four years ago, followed in 6th. Robin RAMAEKERS (BEL) was 7th - and the last spot in the top 8 went to Bolot TSYBZHITOV (RUS), who took individual bronze at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

The Korean men dominated the team rankings, building an 80-point margin over Russia. India followed, ahead of Ukraine and the United States.

Echoing their senior counterparts’ performance in Belek last week, the three young Koreans were untouchable as they qualified at their first international tournament. SIM Yeji (photo) had the best score at 70m (334), and remained ahead throughout the day. The 20-year-old finished with 1357, and a comfortable margin over 19-year-old JEON Sungeun on 1348. Completing the 1-2-3 clean sweep, 20-year-old LIM Heeseon’s 1332 was still sixteen points higher than the rest of the world.

Anastasia PAVLOVA (UKR) was the most consistent behind the Koreans. Multiple world junior and World Cup medallist, she scored 1316 - which was two points better than Begünhan Elif UNSAL (TUR), bronze medallist at the European Championships in 2010.

Mariana AVITIA (MEX) - just 20, already a two-time Olympian and a bronze medallist at London 2012 - finished 6th, ahead of ZHANG Xinyan (CHN) and Mackenzie BROWN (USA).

Two archers experienced at the senior level missed the top-8 bye into the 1/16 round: Kristina TIMOFEEVA (RUS) - individual and team gold medallist at the Ogden World Cup in 2012 - finished 12th; Alejandra VALENCIA (MEX) - cadet bronze medallist in 2011 and already a three-time World Cup Finalist at only 18 years old - disappointed with 25th place.

The Koreans lead the team rankings, of course - and by an impressive margin of over 150 points. Ukraine finished 2nd thanks to good performances from PAVLOVA, Olympian Lidiia SICHENIKOVA and 2011 cadet team silver medallist Polina RODIONOVA. The United States came in 3rd, and Mexico finished 4th, just two points ahead of host country China.

Korea’s 2679 topped the mixed team qualifications, ahead of French pair Gaël PREVOST and Noémie BRIANNE (2622) - and host-team LIU Yue and ZHANG Xinyanon (CHN) on 2617.

Compound Junior
Over the 72-arrow qualification at 50 metres, the emerging story was a European-American battle for supremacy - mirroring the scenes from senior competitions throughout 2013. Whether Europe can take revenge throughout eliminations will remain to be seen, but the United States were clear winners today.

Top US archers Alex WIFLER (main photo) - who has only been shooting compound for four months, after an accident that broke his middle finger and made recurve archery impossible - and Bridger DEATON scored 708 and 705 to take seeds 1 and 2. New senior team world champion Stephan HANSEN (DEN) followed up with 702, two points ahead of current senior individual world champion Mike SCHLOESSER (NED).

Danny BUTTON, another United States representative, took 5th - while Jordan MITCHELL (GBR), Jignas CHITTIBOMMA (IND) and Keenan BROWN (CAN) slotted in at 6-7-8, completing the roster of archers receiving a top-8 bye to the 1/16 eliminations.

The three top-five United States finishers combined to explode past the team qualification world record of 2082, setting the new mark at 2111. Mexico had 2071, four points ahead of India. Great Britain followed close behind them, and Belgium completed the top 5. Denmark, new senior team world champions, placed 6th.

On the women’s side, Sara LOPEZ - the n°3 world ranked recent senior World Championships gold medallist from Colombia - lived up to high expectations, tallying 686 points in qualification. The 18-year old from the Colombian town of Pereira is the current 15-arrow match senior world record holder, and is tipped to dominate as competition progresses.

She will not be without challengers: Janine MEISSNER (GER) matched the Colombian star’s score of 686 in her first major event, taking the second seed. Top scorer in the first half, Mariia VINOGRADOVA (RUS) - who is, like MEISSNER, 19 - clocked in at third, with 682 overall.

Eight points lower was Sarah Holst SONNICHSEN (DEN), while top American Kailey JOHNSTON - who got herself a team gold at the 2011 Antalya World Cup, and was cadet world champion in 2008 - registered a 672 for fifth. Jyothi Surekha VENNAM has been representing India on the senior scene this year, and managed a seventh place junior qualification - behind Toja CERNE (SLO).

A shoot-off between Mexican archers Stephanie Sarai SALINAS and Yahaira CORONA, who had tied on 667, saw 2011 cadet team silver medallist SALINAS catch the last top-8 bye into the 1/16 eliminations. Cadet world champion after the Ogden 2009 championships, Paige PEARCE (USA) found herself in 11th - while 2011 bronze medallist, Ella HUGO, placed 15th.

Like in the men’s competition, the Americas dominated the women’s team qualifications, with the United States’ 1991 points topping the ranking ahead of Mexico’s total of 1983. Russia came third, one point behind - but ahead of India and Great Britain.

One point gave the United States the top ranking in the compound mixed team event, ahead of Colombia’s LOPEZ and Camilo Andrés CARDONA. Denmark’s pair finished 3rd.

Competition continues tomorrow with the cadet qualifications.

World Archery Communication