Seven teams will fight for gold tomorrow in Porec

Recurve Men
In the first round (1/8 eliminations) Canada took the lead over Mexico in the first end and increased to 5 points in the second. They still managed to maintain a 4-point lead despite a bad start in the third end with a 7. Mexico came back in the last end with 56 points, causing Canada to lose their lead in the very end and lose the match by 1 point. The USA took an easy victory over Russia.

The highest scores of the quarterfinals came in the match between China and the USA. The match was very tight match in the beginning, with China leading by 2 points 56-54. A bad second end from the USA gave a more consistent lead to China (111-107). Both teams shot equal scores in the third and fourth end, allowing China to maintain its lead 168-164 and win 224-220. Italy took a 6-point lead against France in the first end, 56-50, putting a lot of pressure on their opponents. From that point the Italians were very confident and increased their lead 110-100, 164-153 and victory 223-209. The young team from the Netherlands (No. 9) gave in a good performance against the experienced team from India (No. 1) but lost 214-109. Finally, Great Britain defeated Mexico 54-51, 108-104, 161-159, 214-211.
  
In the semifinals, Italy and China were very tight in the first end. Italy had a bad 8 and China a 7; Italy led 55-54. In the second end, the Italians increased their lead to 3 points, putting the pressure on China. Italy shot more confidently (10-10-10-9-9-9) and took a 6-point lead (167-161). China shot an arrow out of the yellow, giving victory to Italy, 225-217. Meanwhile India took the lead from the very beginning against Great Britain, setting a 6-point advantage 58-52. In the second end, India increased their advantage to 8 points, but they weren’t as consistent in the third end. The Great Britain recovered a few points but it was too late: India won 226-218. So Italy will face India in the gold medal match, while China will shoot against the Great Britain for bronze.
   
Recurve Women
Neighbours Russia and Ukraine met in the first round (1/8 eliminations). The Russians led 53-51 after the first end, but their opponents came back to tie at 104-104. The overall level was not so high with both teams shooting a lot of 8s. In the end the Ukrainians shot better scores for a victory 209-205. Meanwhile the No. 10 Germany led the No. 13 USA throughout the whole match, 53-50, 105-98, 155-151 and won 204-201. There were no big surprises in the other matches. Belarus, France, Italy, Mexico, Poland and China all advanced to the next round.

In the quarterfinals, Belarus and France started in a tie (49-49). The Belarusians then built a 6-point lead 104-98, which they increased throughout the match for a final win 209-197. There was nothing the Italians could do against Mexico: they trailed 50-52, 98-103, 148-153 and lost 202-207. The tightest match of the round was between Poland and Ukraine. The Polish team trailed 50-53, 102-105, but managed to come back to a 1-point disadvantage, 157-158. Both teams tied in the last end, resulting in victory for the Ukrainian archers, 212-211. In the last quarterfinal, China easily overtook Germany 49-46, 106-98, 157-148, 213-199.

In the semifinals, the Ukrainians easily defeated China 57-50, 112-103, 166-154, 219-209. In the other semifinal Belarus trailed Mexico in the beginning (51-56) but took advantages from many mistakes from the Mexicans in the second end. The scores were 10-9-9-9-9-8 for Belarus and 9-9-8-8-7-6 for Mexico (105-103). Belarus kept improving in the last two ends and with a score of 207-203, they will advance to the gold medal match against their Ukrainian neighbours.
   
Compound Men
In the 1/8 elimination round, a close match started between Italy and Venezuela. Italy took a 1-point lead in the first end (58-57). Venezuela immediately reacted and tied at 114-114. An 8 from Venezuela in the next end gave the lead back to Italy (171-170). In the last end, it was Italy’s turn to shoot an 8, allowing Venezuela to gain back 2 points and win 227-226. In the match between France and the Netherlands, the latter team built a strong lead in the first end (59-55). France tried to come back and recovered 1 point in the following end (the Netherlands still led 117-113). The Dutch archers kept their advantage through the end, scoring 231-229 to advance to the next round.
   
In their quarterfinal against Germany, Americans Dave COUSINS, Braden GELLENTHIEN and Reo WILDE tied the world record held by the Dutch at 238 points. The Swiss team fought hard against El Salvador in the first half (trailing 115-116), but a last end at 59 from El Salvador ended the Swiss hopes for qualification. The team led by Jorge JIMENEZ won 231-228. The Dutch team built a comfortable lead in their match against Venezuela (117-112), lost ground in the third end (173-130). Venezuela shot a perfect end of 60 to conclude the match. With 58 points the Dutch scored just enough to qualify to the next round.
   
Denmark and the Netherlands both started very well in semifinals at 59-59. A perfect 60 in the next end allowed the Dutch team to lead 119-116. They kept their advantage 176-173, before several gusts of wind caused them a few bad arrows (10-10-7-10-8-8). Denmark took benefit of it and with 10-10-10-10-9-8 won the match 230-229. In the other semifinal, El Salvador lost all their chances against the USA when they could not shoot their last arrow on time in the third end. The gold medal final will be between Denmark and the USA!
   
Compound Women
In the 1/8 elimination round, the match between Mexico and Croatia was tight from the very beginning, with only 1 point after the first end (57-56 for Mexico). Croatia was able to compensate in the second end and come back at 112-112. In the third end, Croatia had a bad 6 which gave the match to Mexico: 170-164. They were unable to recover in the last end, losing more points with another 6. Mexico clinched the match 228-214.
   
Mexico started their quarterfinals greatly with 60 in the first end to lead Iran (60-55). The Iranian archers were never able to come back and Mexico won 225-219. In a tighter match, the Netherlands started by tying the Great Britain at 55 points. In the second end the Great Britain gained a 1-point lead (112-111), which they soon lost due to a couple of 8s. The Dutch archers led 166-165, kept their advantage and won 222-219. In the other matches, Russia defeated India 227-224, and the USA beat France 222-209.
  
In the semifinal, the USA took the lead over the Netherlands in the first end with four Xs and two 9s (58-56). The Dutch archers answered with a good 57 to recover 1 point in the second end (the USA led 114-113). The wind started to blow, causing an 8 to the US team. It was their turn to trail by 1 point (169-170) but they were more consistent in the last end and qualified for the gold medal final (225-221). In the other semifinal, Russia took a 1-point lead against Mexico in the first end, 57-56. The defending world champions then shot a 6, resulting in a tie at 110. The Russians soon regained their advantage (167-163) and increased it in the last end. Victory 223-217 for Russia, who will shoot against the USA for the gold!
   
Vanahé ANTILLE
World Archery Communication
       
Neighbours Russia and Ukraine met in the first round (1/8 eliminations). The Russians led 53-51 after the first end, but their opponents came back to tie at 104-104. The overall level was not so high with both teams shooting a lot of 8s. In the end the Ukrainians shot better scores for a victory 209-205. Meanwhile the No. 10 Germany led the No. 13 USA throughout the whole match, 53-50, 105-98, 155-151 and won 204-201. There were no big surprises in the other matches. Belarus, France, Italy, Mexico, Poland and China all advanced to the next round.
  
In the quarterfinals, Belarus and France started in a tie (49-49). The Belarusians then built a 6-point lead 104-98, which they increased throughout the match for a final win 209-197. There was nothing the Italians could do against Mexico: they trailed 50-52, 98-103, 148-153 and lost 202-207. The tightest match of the round was between Poland and Ukraine. The Polish team trailed 50-53, 102-105, but managed to come back to a 1-point disadvantage, 157-158. Both teams tied in the last end, resulting in victory for the Ukrainian archers, 212-211. In the last quarterfinal, China easily overtook Germany 49-46, 106-98, 157-148, 213-199.
  
In the semifinals, the Ukrainians easily defeated China 57-50, 112-103, 166-154, 219-209. In the other semifinal the Belarusians trailed Mexico in the beginning (51-56) but took advantages from many mistakes from the Mexicans in the second end. The scores were 10-9-9-9-9-8 for Belarus and 9-9-8-8-7-6 for Mexico (105-103). Belarus kept shooting better in the last two ends and with a score of 207-203, they will advance to the gold medal match.
   
To be continued...
   
World Archery Communication