Steady improvement, sustained success says USQUIANO

From the very start of the compound women’s team gold final in Antalya, Colombia showed the kind of form that won them the world champion title in Belek two years ago. 

Sara LOPEZ, who broke the ranking round world record earlier in the week, Maja MARCEN and Alejandra USQUIANO began with a 59-point end. 

A leaked eight in the second series did drop them momentarily behind their Korean opponents but at 18 arrows shot, the South American team had jumped back up to a three-point lead. They rode it to victory, winning the match 231-226. 

“We’ve been working and preparing together for many years,” said individual winner of the 2013 Archery World Cup tour Alejandra USQUIANO, saying the string of strong results Colombia has found has been the product of the group’s steady growth. 

“We still have a lot of work to do but we won’t give up – and while we can’t promise more medals, we always do our best.”

Korea shot too many nines in the back half to challenge the Colombians for the medal and landed Antalya 2015 team silver.

Russia started poorly in the bronze medal match against Denmark, shooting six nines for the first end. Albina LOGINOVA and crew immediately trailed by three.

“It’s a bit windy near the targets but not at the shooting line,” said Albina, not using the weather as an excuse for less than ideal first end. “We just needed to win. When you don’t have a good start you work hard, improve yourself and keep shooting.” 

The Russians quickly found their groove.

Better shooting from there on out clawed the score back to 168-167 with one end remaining in regulation. 

Shooting first, Russia put the pressure on – landing a sweet 59, with the sixth arrow just out. It was a score the Danes, shooting together for the first time and the nation a compound women’s final for the first time in a long time, would not match.

Bronze to LOGINVOA, Natalia AVDEEVA and Mariia VINOGRADOVA. 

Read more about Antalya 2015.