19 April 2008 - Two Gold Medal for France in World Cup Stage 2

Two Gold Medals for France in World Cup Stage 2
Porec - 19 April 2008
 
Saturday afternoon featured the individual finals at the World Cup Stage 2 in Porec. The venue for these finals was once more an exceptional place: the archers indeed shot in the Marina! France clinched two gold medals with Romain Girouille in Recurve Men and Amandine Bouillot in Compound Women. The two other titles were taken by the Korean Yun Ok Hee in Recurve Women and the Italian Sergio Pagni in Compound Men.
Read our live commentaries of all afternoon matches!
Recurve Men   Gold Medal: GIROUILLE Romain (FRA) - BANERJEE Rahul (IND)
The Frenchman Girouille has been in great form lately, finishing 5th at the World Cup Stage 1 in Santo Domingo two weeks ago. He faced the Indian Banerjee, silver medallist at the 3rd Asian Grand Prix 2007 and brother of World Cup Final winner 2007 Dola Banerjee, for the gold medal in Porec. Girouille started strong with a perfect first end of X10-10-10 (30) and took an 4-point lead, with Banerjee scoring X10-9-7 (26). The Indian recovered 1 pt replying with a perfect series of three arrows (X10-X10-10). He was totalling 56 pts at that time while with X10-10-9 his opponent scored 59. Girouille seemed the strongest on the field. He had achieved only 10s and 9s so far and took a 5-point lead again with 9-9-10 (9-8-9 for Banerjee). The score was 87-82. Girouille took advantage of the last end to increase his lead and with 10-9-10 clinched an indisputable first World Cup victory over Banerjee (8-10-9) by 116-109!
  Bronze Medal: IM Dong Hyun (KOR) - PARK Kyung-Mo (KOR)
The bronze medal match in Recurve Men was a 100% Korean duel between World Champion Im Dong Hyun and 2006 World Cup Final winner Park Kyung-Mo. Im started with a perfect 10-X10-10 (30) and took an early lead against Park with 9-8-X10 (27). The latter recovered 1 pt shooting 10-9-10 (56) while Im scored X10-9-9 (58). It was hard to predict who would be the winner of this match, since the two Koreans scored only 10s and 9s! Park came back to 1 pt shooting 9-X10-X10 (85) in the third end. Im achieved 10-9-9 (86) and just managed to keep the lead. Both continued with two 9s and Park's deficit was still 1 pt (103-104). He put pressure with a final 10, but his fellow countryman could match it replying with an X10! The reigning World Champion won bronze on the score of 114-113.
  Recurve Women   Gold Medal: YUN Ok Hee (KOR) - MOSPINEK Justyna (POL)
Mospinek, who was 2nd at the Olympic Test Event last year, has been in good form lately. She proved it in Santo Domingo two weeks ago finishing 10th at World Cup Stage 1. She was facing one of the strong Koreans Yun Ok Hee who finished 1st in the qualifications this week. Mospinek was seeded no. 2. The Korean who shot 10-10-9 (29) started the best. Mospinek trailed by 2 after the first end with 10-8-9 (27). At the half-way mark Yun doubled her lead after shooting 9-9-X10 (9-X10-7 for her opponent). The score was 57-53. The Korean increased her lead with three arrows to go. She shot another solid end with 9-10-10 (86). The Pole scored 9-8-10 (80) and trailed by 6 at that stage. Mospinek finished strongly with X10-10-10 but could not do anything against Yun who took the gold medal with 10-X10-9. Final score: 115-110 for the Korean.
  Bronze Medal: VALEEVA Natalia (ITA) - PARK Sung-Hyun (KOR)
What a promising match! The reigning World Champion from Italy faced the reigning Olympic Champion from Korea seeking revenge for the 2007 World Championships Final in Leipzig. Valeeva and Park both started with 10 and 9, but the Korean took the lead at the third arrow with an X10 (9 for the Italian). She took a 2-point lead with another 10 (vs. 9). Park finished the second end with 10 and 9, and as Valeeva shot two 8s, the Korean was ahead by 5 pts (58-53). The World Champion went on with X-9-9 (81) and trailed by 7 pts after the Olympic Champion achieved a perfect series (10-X10-10) for 88 pts. The last end would not change anything and Park clinched bronze with 8-X10-9 (115). Valeeva finished with a solid end of 10-9-10 (110) but she could only bow this time.
  Compound Men   Gold Medal: DOS SANTOS Roberval (BRA) - PAGNI Sergio (ITA)
The Brazilian Dos Santos, bronze medallist at the 2007 World Cup Final in Dubai, faced the Italian Pagni, the new European Indoor Champion. The two archers started their match with the same end: 9-10-9 and 29 pts each. Pagni went on with a 10 and Dos Santos matched him. The Italian put pressure with an X10 and tooks the lead when Dos Santos shot 9. The latter counted a 2-point deficit with a 9 against another perfect arrow (10) by his Italian opponent (56-58). Dos Santos shot first in the third end and scored a 10. Pagni answered with a 10. The Italian took a 5-point advantage achieving two amazing X10s (9-8 for Dos Santos). The score was 88-83 before the last three arrows. No problem for the European Indoor Champion in the last end who clinched victory with 10-9-9 versus 9-X10-9 for Dos Santos. The Italian took gold by 116-111.
  Bronze Medal: GENET Dominique (FRA) - TRILLUS Dietmar (CAN)
The Frenchman Genet shot first in his match against 2007 World Champion from Canada Trillus. Both archers started with a 10 on the line. Genet duplicated his first arrow and scored 10. Trillus lost 1 pt with a 9. However, the Canadian managed to tie at 29 shooting a X10 while his opponent scored a 9. Trillus then doubled his advantage achieving 9-10-X10 (58) in the second end. Genet shot 8-9-10 (56) and trailed by 2 at the half-way mark. The Frenchman recovered 1 pt with a 10 (9 for Trillus) but he lost it again shooting a 9 while the Canadian scored X10. Both achieved a 9 to close the third end and the score was 86-84 in favour of Trillus. The World Champion from Canada ensured victory with a perfect last series (X10-10-10) and won another gold medal over his opponent from France (10-10-9). Final score: 116-113.
  Compound Women   Gold Medal: SIMPSON Nichola (GBR) - BOUILLOT Amandine (FRA)
The 52-year old Simpson from Great Britain faced 24-year old Bouillot from France. The two archers started on the same pace with three 9s each (27), Simpson's three arrows being very close to each other. The Briton continued with 9-10-X10 (56) and took the lead at the half-way mark (9-9-X10/56 for her opponent). With a perfect 10-X10-X10 (86) Simpson doubled her advantage over Bouillot who scored a solid X10-9-X10 (84). The Frenchwoman then recovered 1 pt with a X10 (9 for Simpson) and tied the match before the last arrow with another 10 (vs. 9). Bouillot finished too strong for her opponent with a final X10 for a magnificent last end and clinched victory after Simpson shot a third 9 in a row!
  Bronze Medal: LAURILA Anne (FIN) - GALES Andrea (GBR)
In the first match of the afternoon, Finnish archer Laurila fought against Briton Gales for bronze. Gales started with a 9-9-8 (26), and as her opponent shot strong with 10-10-9 (29), she trailed by 3 pts after the first end. The two archers followed with 9 each. Gales recovered 1 pt with 9 versus her opponent's 8 and she then tied the score at 54 with an X10 (8 for Laurila). Both started the third end with a 9 (63 each). The Finn then took the lead with a 10 against a 9 for Gales. She closed the series with another 10 and was totalling 83 at the time. Her contender from Great Britain also shot a 10 (82) and trailed by 1 pt. Both continued with a 10 and the difference remained. Gales tied the match with only one arrow to go (10 vs. 9) and finished with a 9 (111). Laurila needed a 10 to win or a 9 to tie, but she shot an 8 and handed victory to her opponent. Bronze for the Briton Gales!
 
Ludivine Maitre Wicki
FITA Communication
 
NB: X10 and 10 are both worth 10 points. X10 were mentioned for information whenever possible. The arrows are mentioned in order whenever possible.