Chinese Taipei to challenge Korea for pairs gold

Chinese Taipei’s pair of Rio 2016 bronze team medallist Tan Ya-Ting and world number 12 Wei Chun-Heng made the mixed team final in Shanghai, the first stage of the year’s Hyundai Archery World Cup, for the second year in a row. The pair left with silver in 2016, losing to the USA in the gold medal match.

“I don’t know how to describe how I feel right now. We both are feeling very happy because it wasn’t easy to win,” said Ya-Ting.

“The wind direction was really hard to figure out making it difficult for us to aim. The shooting line was also a bit different from our individual matches so it made it challenging, too.”

A first win over Kazakhstan by 6-2 set-up a clash with Japan, which went to a shoot-off, and then Russia. Chinese Taipei won that last one 6-2 to make the final against Korea – a ferocious pairing of Rio 2016 gold medallists Kim Woojin and Chang Hye Jin.

“As it’s normal for us to come every year to Shanghai, the venue and atmosphere is very familiar. It helps us not get nervous when shooting here and remain more relaxed in competition,” Tan Ya-Ting added.
 
Russia, represented by Alexander Kozhin and Natalia Erdynieva, will shoot for bronze against the USA’s Zach Garrett and Mackenzie Brown.

The first stage of the 2017 Hyundai Archery World Cup runs 16 to 21 May in Shanghai, China.