The new Mixed Team event was a real success

Natalia VALEEVA and Ilario DI BUO (ITA)      Recurve Mixed Team The new mixed competition is an innovation launched this year on the occasion of the World Cup. The qualification scores of the best two archers of each country having at least one competitor per gender gave the mixed team ranking. The four best nations qualified for the semi-finals. A mixed team match is made up of 16 arrows, each team shooting four ends of four arrows. In the recurve division, the experienced Italians Ilario DI BUO and Natalia VALEEVA clinched the first gold medal of this new event. In compound, the Danish pairing of Martin DAMSBO and Camilla SOEMOD won the first gold.      OCHOA and OCHOA (MEX) vs SOEMOD and DAMBSBO (DEN) Compound Mixed Team In the compound mixed team competition, one semi-final featured COUSINS and ANSCHUTZ (who replaced VAN NATTA in the team) from the United States against the Mexican uncle and niece team of A. OCHOA and R. OCHOA. In this match, the lead kept changing from one team to the other. Mexico first took a 1-point lead after four arrows, 38-37, but then trailed 74-72 at the half-way mark. With only one end to go, the score was tied at 111 points each. At the end, it was a family victory with OCHOA and OCHOA clinching the match with the shortest possible margin (150-149).

The second semi-final was between Italy with PAGNI and SALVI and Denmark with DAMSBO and SOEMOD. There was no real suspense in this match with the Danish taking an early lead (39-37) that they kept increasing. The score went up to 78-73, 114-108 and finally 153-146.

Shooting for gold against Mexico, Denmark had a 4-point lead at the half-way mark, 75-71. Their advantage stayed at 4 points (111-107) with only four arrows to go. DAMSBO and SOEMOD increased their lead to 5 points to clinch victory and win the first compound mixed team gold medal in history (149-144).

The final for bronze was not very close between USA and Italy. PAGNI and SALVI trailed by four points after the first half (74-78). The team could never recover and the USA team of COUSINS and ANSCHUTZ won the bronze medal 153-150.   Ludivine MAITRE WICKI FITA Communication