Korea, USA and Netherlands take titles in individual juniors

Read our live commentaries of the last session of the World Archery Youth Championships: the junior finals.
  Recurve Junior Men   Gold medal match: VAN DER VEN Rick (NED) vs SUNG Wookyeong (KOR) What a final in the recurve junior men! VAN DER VEN took the lead at the beginning, 28-26. However SUNG came back with 10-9-10, while VAN DER VEN had 10-8-9. Scores were tied at 55-55.   The Dutchman retook the lead in the third end. He shot 8-9-10, while the Korean had 9-8-9. The score was 82-81.   IN the last end, SUNG shot a 10 and VAN DER VEN a 9. Tied scores at 91-91! Then both archers shot a 9. It came down to the last arrow. The Korean had a perfect 10, while the Dutchman dropped an 8. Score was 110-108 in favour of SUNG. He is the new junior world champion!   Bronze medal match: XING Yu (CHN) vs IVANYTSKYY Heorhiy (UKR) IVANYTSKYY is the match world record holder in cadets with 117 points. He now shoots in juniors with some success. He took the lead at 28-27 but XING reversed the situation in the second end and led 55-53.   CHEN continued to shoot well in the third end with 10-9-10 and led 84-81.   The fourth end was dramatic. IVANYTSKYY put pressure with 10-10, while XING had 9-7. The Ukrainian actually led 101-100 at that point! However he scored a 7 with his last arrow. XING needed a 9 to win. He got a 9 liner to clinch the bronze medal, 109-108!  Recurve Junior Women   Gold medal match: CHEN Yeqing (CHN) vs LEE Yujin (KOR) As for the bronze medal match, CHEN and LEE had some trouble at the beginning. The Korean found her rhythm from the second end with 10-10-9 and 9-10-9. She took the lead 83-75.   CHEN finished with 10-8-8 to get to 101. Too little to put pressure on LEE! The Korean had another 10-8-9 to reach the very respectable score of 110. LEE is the new world champion!   Bronze medal match: BARDARY Marion (FRA) vs YU Jangmi (KOR) It’s not an easy task to shoot on a final field with fans cheering, television and the special environment. Even more so when one is junior! Both athletes had some trouble at the beginning of the match. At the end, YU shot a nice match and beat BARDARY, 107-94.  Compound Junior Men   Gold medal match: THOMPSON Cody (USA) vs PIZARRO Jean (PUR) THOMPSON started with two strong 10s but then dropped an 8. Scores were tied at 28-28 and then at 56-56.   The American had scores of 119 to get to this final and he turned it up a notch in the third end with 10-10-10 with a great group! Scores were at 86-84.   PIZARRO came back at a 1-point deficit after 11 arrows. Anything was still possible. However the Puerto Rican scored a 9 with his last arrow while the American shot a 10. Gold medal for THOMPSON, 115-113!   Bronze medal match: CLELAND Ben (USA) vs VALVERDE Francisco Javier (ESP) There was almost no wind on the field and these two young athletes displayed a world class level of shooting. CLELAND started with 10-10-10 and 10-9-10 to build a two point lead 59-57.   CLELAND is recent world record holder for a FITA Round and a 12-arrow match. He had a perfect score no less than 5 July with 120 points and seven X10. He was not perfect today but he led 88-86 after three ends. VALVERDE challenged him hard in the last end. The Spanish competitor scored 10-10-10. CLELAND had a 9 and therefore needed to finish perfectly to preserve his victory. He did! Bronze medal, 117-116!  Compound Junior Women   Gold medal match: EKATERINA KOROBEYNIKOVA (RUS) vs Inge VAN CASPEL (NED) VAN CASPEL had the better start, but KOROBEYNIKOVA turned up the heat in the second end with 10-10-10 to tie the score 57-57. The Russian could not keep it up in the third end with 8-9-8. The door was opened for VAN CASPEL. She scored 10-9-9 to take a 3-point lead 85-82.   VAN CASPEL did not allow any chances in the last end with 10-10-10 for a final score of 115-108. She is the new junior World Champion!   Bronze medal match: Svetlana CHERKASHNEVA (RUS) vs Kendal NICELY (USA) These two ladies started the last session of the World Archery Youth Championships: the junior’s finals. They started equally at 27-27, 56-56. Then CHERKASHNEVA took a 1-point lead.   Then both archers shot a 10. NICELY finished with two 9s! The American won the world title last year but her performance today was not enough to give her a medal. CHERKASHNEVA finished with a 10 and 9 to clinch bronze, 115-113.   Didier MIEVILLE FITA Communication