Alejandra VALENCIA shoots the highest score ever shot by a lady in the Americas

Alejandra VALENCIA shoots the highest score ever shot by a lady in the Americas Guadalajara (MEX) – 18 October 2011   The Mexican archer Alejandra VALENCIA, who turned 17 years old on the first day of the qualification round of the Pan American Games, shot an impressive score of 1363 points, the highest score ever shot by a woman in this region, edging by two points the previous top score that was shot by Denise PARKER (USA) at the 1993 World Championships in Antalya. On her way to breaking the FITA Round Pan American Games Record, VALENCIA set the 50 meters record for the Games at 338.  VALENCIA’s (photo) performance overshadowed two other magnificent scores. Miranda LEEK (USA) gave in a couple of points to VALENCIA at 50 meters, but broke the Pan Am Games record at 30 meters with 356 and achieved a total of 1361, four points more than Aida ROMAN (MEX-1357). Khatuna LORIG (USA) and Leidys BRITO (VEN) followed the three leaders with scores of 1326 and 1323 respectively. The World Champion Denise VAN LAMOEN (CHI) shot 1280 to place herself ninth.   The scores shot by VALENCIA and LEEK place them in the elite group of 8 non-Korean women who have shot 1360 or higher at a World Championships or a World Ranking Tournament. These archers are the current Olympic Champion ZHANG Juan Juan (CHN) 1372 at the World Cup in Dover 2007, Natalia VALEEVA (ITA) 1369 at the 2007 World Championships, Nami HAYAKAWA (JPN) 1363 at the World Cup in Antalya 2007, Denise PARKER (USA) 1361 in 1993, Yulia RIEZNIKOVA (UKR) at the European Junior Cup in Nymburk in 2006, and Berengere SCHUH (FRA) 1360 at the World Cup held in Shanghai in 2009. Seventeen Korean women have shot over 1360 in this type of events, the list being topped by KI Bo Bae, who shot 1389 at the 2011 World Championships in Torino. The world record is still held by PARK Sung Hyun (KOR), the only woman to have surpassed 1400 points in this category. She shot 1405 at a tournament in Cheongju, Korea.   Mexico led the Team Qualification Round for women with a Pan American Games record of 3988, followed by the United States (3956) and Venezuela (3788).   On the men’s side, Brady ELLISON (USA) tied the 50 meters Pan Am record for this competition and broke the 30m (359) and the FITA Round (1356) records. He was followed by Canada’s Crispin DUENAS with 1337, the surprising Colombian junior Daniel PINEDA with 1333, Juan Rene SERRANO (MEX) 1325, Joe FANCHIN (USA) 1324 and Juan Carlos STEVENS (CUB) 1323.   The United States men’s team ranked first with 3985 (record), followed by Mexico (3939) and Canada (3909). The women’s elimination round, from 1/16 to 1/4, will take place on Wednesday morning. VALENCIA will face Ambar REYES (PUR) while LEEK will take on Sophia MORAGA (CHI).   Sergio FONT World Archery Communication