21 October 2006 - First Archery World Title in history for Dominican Republic !

Individual Bronze and Gold Medal Matches for Cadets First Archery World Title in history for Dominican Republic ! Merida – 21 October 2006   On Saturday morning it was the time for the youngest archers to fight for a medal or a world title in the bronze and gold medal matches of the individual competition at the 3rd Cadet World Championships in Merida, Mexico. We have now two new World Champions from Australia, one from the Dominican Republic and one from Italy!   In the finals the archers are shooting 4 ends of 3 arrows (=12 arrows) for a possible total score of 120 points. Alternate shooting is the rule, meaning that one archer shoots at a time and when he/she has released the arrow, and then it is the opponent’s turn to shoot.   Compound Cadet Women The first category competing this morning at the Inalambrica Sports Complex of Merida was the Compound Cadet Women, starting with the bronze medal match between British archer Luca O’Sullivan and American Kendal Nicely. This head-to-head match was exciting and both archers received great support from their teammates singing cheering songs from the stands. After being tied on the first and third ends (29-29 and 86-86), it is finally the British girl who wins the bronze medal by only one point: 114-113.   After that, the local archer Martha Hernandez was facing the young Italian Anastasia Anastasio for the World Title in Compound Cadet Women. Half way of the match the two girls were still very close (28-28, 54-55), but the Mexican shooting an average third end of 26 points was then behind by 4 points after her opponent scored a 29-point end. This proved enough for Anastasio Anastasia who clinched the match and took the gold medal with a comfortable advantage: 111-106.   Compound Cadet Men The bronze final in this category was a 100% American match between Corey Muellerbach and Adam Wrucj. This was a very tight match indeed between the two teammates in which Muellerbach finally had the last word (28-27/55-55/84-84/113-112).   In the match for gold the Swiss Kevin Burri was facing a Viva America scholarship holder, Paris Goico De Lara from the Dominican Republic. After leading by 5 points before the last three arrows, Goico de Lara has played with fire in the last end but finally managed to keep the victory by one little point (101-100)!   FITA really wishes to thank the “Justice for Athletes” foundation who has made it possible for this young archer from the Dominican Republic and 19 others from Pan-American FITA Member Associations to take part in the Junior and Cadet competitions in Merida.   Photo below: Jane Waller with Matthew Lee (CHN) - Coach of the Australian Jr Team  Recurve Cadet Women The work of Matthew Lee, the Junior National Coach for Australia (and Senior Assistant Coach to Kyo Moon Oh) is starting to pay off. After promising ranking in qualification and good shooting in the elimination rounds, the young Aussies got their first medal – Gold! – on Saturday morning in the Recurve Cadet division with a young and talented lady called Jane Waller.   In her final match against Indian Pranitha Vardheni, Waller shot an excellent score of 114 points, while her opponent seemed totally overwhelmed by pressure (100). Just before that, Inna Stepanova from Russia had taken the bronze in this category with another easy victory over another Indian girl Pratima Boro (105-94).   Recurve Cadet Men Another Australian gold medal came with the following and last cadet category, but this one was not easy to get! The surprising recurve archer from Malaysia Mohd Izzuddin Abdul Rahim gave a hard time to Ryan Tyack. These two competitors – already separated by one tiny little point in qualification, respectively 19th with 1242 points and 16th with 1243 – proved once again they were really close to one another.   Behind by one point before the last three arrows (81-82), Abdul Rahim tied his opponent after shooting two perfect 10s while Tyack scored a 10 and a 9, thus leaving the last arrow to decide the winner. Shooting first then, Abdul Rahim carried on with a 9, leaving Tyack alone to his destiny: a 9 would tie and lead the two archers to a shoot-off, a 10 would win… A perfect arrow and all Aussies to jump for joy as kangaroos!   The bronze medal of the Recurve Cadet Men category was won by Ukrainian Taras Senyuk, who defeated the American Forrest Blakle on the score of 110 to 105.     Summary of the matches RCM/Gold: Ryan Tyack /AUS 26-54-82-111 over Mohd Izzuddin Abdul Rahim /MAS 25-53-81-110 RCM/Bronze: Taras Senyunk /UKR 25-55-83-110 over Forrest Blakle /USA 24-50-77-105 RCW/Gold: Jane Waller /AUS 30-58-86-114 over Pranitha Vardhineni /IND 27-52-74-100 RCW/Bronze: Inna Stepanova /RUS 25-56-79-105 over Pratima Boro /IND 26-42-68-94 CCM/Gold: Paris Goico De Lara /DOM 27-56-85-101 over Kevin Burri /SUI 26-54-80-100 CCM/Bronze: Corey Muellerbach /USA 28-55-84-113 over Adam Wrucj /USA 27-55-84-112 CCW/Gold: Anastasia Anastasio /ITA 28-55-84-111 over Martha Hernandez /MEX 28-54-80-106 CCW/Bronze: Lucy O'Sullivan /GBR 29-56-86-114 over Kendal Nicely /USA 29-58-86-113     Ludivine Maitre Wicki FITA Communication