ELZINGA’s shot on target: secures World Cup win for Netherlands

It’s not often you get a second chance so soon in archery, but in Antalya the Dutch had another crack at beating an always-impressive USA compound men’s team for a World Cup stage gold.

Inspired by a 5-1 Netherlands win in the other (football) World Cup last night or just fired up to avenge that loss in Colombia, Peter ELZINGA, Mike SCHLOESSER and Ruben BLEYENDAAL clean outshot their American opponents. Final score: 232-230 in favour of team orange.

An extra four points on the Dutch total match score compared to Medellin made the difference. When asked where they came from, Ruben jumped in: “Me! They came from me!”

The lowest scorer on the team in Medellin, BLEYENDAAL did keep a tighter group around the middle of the target in Antalya. It’s as true – if not truer – in archery as in any other sport that the team is only as strong as its weakest link… but that weak link was missing from the Dutch game today.

“It really doesn’t matter where they came from,” said ELZINGA. “It’s a team effort. What happened in Colombia is over, what matters is what we did here.”

Exactly what the Dutch did in Antalya: cut short a USA winning streak that extended back to the last stage of the 2013 season in Wroclaw.

Despite his experience, Peter ELZINGA was shaky on the last arrow of the match. (He started telling his teammates as soon as they were done celebrating.) He delivered it in time, and into the 10.

“Winning a World Cup against the Americans is really… special,” ELZINGA explained. “Shooting that last arrow was tense – but it broke away at the right moment. It was a good shot.”

EZLINGA was emotional as he came off the shooting line. But this Netherlands group does a great job of balancing the passion and a relaxed attitude to matchplay.

“We’re always talking with each other, making jokes,” said Peter about preparing for the final. “Of course, we were up watching the football World Cup until midnight last night.”

Tricky winds down on the beach here at #AntalyaWC... Hats off to the Netherlands boys, they beat us today but Poland won't be so easy.

— Braden Gellenthien (@brgarcher) June 14, 2014

Two World Cup victories in two days for the Dutch – albeit in different sports. But they are still hungry: “We have one week off, and then we are back to work for the European Championships,” explained ELZINGA.

“We’d really like to win that, too.”

Two-time World Cup Final champion Sergio PAGNI and his Italian teammates built a lead over Korea in the first end of the bronze medal match. Italy didn’t relent, cruising to a 228-225 win and bronze as PAGNI’s last arrow hit the nine.

Competition at the third 2014 Archery World Cup stage in Antalya runs from 11-15 June. Check scores, event news and visit World Archery’s Facebook page and @worldarchery on Twitter for coverage.