Colombia’s Lopez shoots highest 1440 Round in history

Header picture courtesy Coldeportes.

Just weeks after winning her second Archery World Cup Final title in a row, Sara Lopez continued her ongoing campaign to etch her own name throughout the record books.

The 20-year-old Colombian archer already held the compound women’s world records for the 72-arrow qualification round and 15-arrow match at 50 metres. At the 2015 Colombian National Games, an Olympic-style event between the different regions in the country and held roughly every four years, she added two more world-best marks.

Lopez scored 1424 out of a possible 1440 points for the four-distance 1440 Round. Her distance scores (all out of a possible 360 for 36 arrows) were: 353 at 70 metres, 355 at 60 metres, 356 at 50 metres, 360/26X at 30 metres.

The previous compound women’s record for the full round was set by Kristina Heigenhauser in 2013 and stood at 1418.

Lopez also beat the 50-metre record, scoring two points more than Jamie van Natta’s 354, which was set in 2007.

All four distances and the combined score are also world bests.

“The 1440 Round was really hard because it was so hot and a little windy,” said medical student Lopez. 

“I tried to enjoy every moment of the competition. I wasn’t thinking about the record or the medals and I was just trying to have fun and shoot my best shots.”

Despite the less than ideal conditions, 1424 marks the highest score on a 1440 Round in history – five more than Peter Elzinga’s men’s record of 1419.

(Although, the men’s 1440 Round distances are 90, 70, 50 and 30 metres, as opposed to the 70, 60, 50 and 30 shot by women.)

“My dad told me he thinks I’m crazy because he can’t understand how I can stay calm. These Games are extremely important in Colombia. In the last Games I was just 15, just starting, but now I’m more mature and I don’t think about scores, medal or money. I just want to beat myself each and every competition,” Sara continued.

The top scorer at each distance and for the full round, Lopez collected five gold medals for the region she represents at the event, Risaralda.

Sara’s scores were officially ratified as world records by the World Archery office, bringing the total number of active outdoor archery records she owns to seven.

“I think I want to start shooting indoors and see what happens,” Sara said, admitting she’s also keen to secure the mixed team world record, owned by the USA’s Erika Jones and Reo Wilde since the pair shot 159 points at the World Cup stage in Antalya in 2012.

“I’ve shot 159 with Camilo [Cardona] probably four times, so that’s the record I want to beat next!”

Lopez latest new records came on the same day as the International Olympic Committee awarded its annual Women in Sport awards, dedicated to people who empower women’s participation and achievement in sport.