Sunday shapes up to be super for Russia's archers

A day of quarterfinals on Sunday will feature a heavy Russian presence and some tough head-to-heads in the recurve standing and compound open classes.   Proving that there are no certainties in the world of elite archery, the surprise eliminations of para world champion DONG Zhi (CHN) and world No.2 Matthias ALPERS (GER) in the men's recurve standing on Saturday, and men's compound open Paralympic champion John STUBBS (GBR) on Friday, has left the men's competition all to play for.   Recurve Men Standing Saturday morning's elimination rounds saw some big names in the men's recurve standing leave the competition. With three archers in the last eight, Russia look like an indomitable force but Ukraine and Turkey will be hoping to keep the Russian archers at bay.   Competing in the first match, Oleg SHESTAKOV (RUS), who knocked out world No.2 Matthias ALPERS (GER), will shoot against Zafer KORKMAZ (TUR). The second match sees world No.4, Mikhail OYUN (RUS) drawn against Yuriy KOPIY (UKR), who ended favourite DONG Zhi's (CHN) Paralympic campaign.   The eighth quarterfinal place goes to Eric BENNETT (USA), who beat Italy's Mario ESPOSITO in the elimination round. BENNETT will shoot against Oguzhan POLAT (TUR) in the third match of the morning.   Competition favourite and world No.1 Timur TUCHINOV (RUS) will be hoping to dispatch opponent Roman CHAYKA (UKR) with relative ease in the final match of the morning.   Recurve Women Standing Competition favourite GAO Fangxia (CHN) is first on the finals range for the first full day of quarterfinal matches, where she will shoot against Javzmaa BYAMBASUREN (MGL) in what should be a relatively straightforward match for for the Chinese archer.   The second contest in the class will be between Magali COMTE (SUI) and LEE Hwa Sook (KOR). COMTE is world ranked No.1 but failed to impress in the ranking round, finishing in 12th place. Beijing 2008 gold medallist LEE ranked fourth in Thursday's ranking session, but despite coming in at only 26th in the world in 2012 rankings, it should make for a close match. The victor from this match is likely to have a challenging semifinal draw, if GAO performs as she is anticipated to.   China's YAN Huilian will be hoping to use her third place ranking from Thursday's ranking round to best advantage when she meets Sharon VENNARD (GBR), who is 23rd in the world but looked comfortable in her elimination victory against Oyun-Erdene BUYANJARGAL (MGL) on Saturday. The victor of YAN v VENNARD has the prospect of facing Irina BATOROVA (RUS) in the semifinals if the world No.2 gets through her quarterfinal against Poland's Milena OLSZEWSKA.   Compound Men Open Kicking off proceedings in the men's compound open quarterfinals is an all-USA contest between Matt STUTZMAN and Dugie DENTON. STUTZMAN is fast becoming the competition favourite, despite never competing in a Paralympic Games or world championships before. His impressive comeback against Jiri KLICH (CZE) in the last-eight elimination round will have boosted his confidence going into this head-to-head.   Silver medallist from Beijing 2008, Alberto SIMONELLI (ITA) will face Spain's Guillermo RODRIGUEZ GONZALEZ, who knocked out defending Paralympic champion John STUBBS (GBR) in Friday's elimination round.   Turkey's Dogan HANCI, ranked No.22 in the world, scored two perfect fists of 30 in his last-eight elimination round to make it through to face Peter KASCAK (SVK), who is currently ranked No.9.   Fighting for the last semifinal spot will be Leos BARTOS (CZE) and Jere FORSBERG (FIN). BARTOS had a great elimination round, not losing a set all day.   Compound Women Open Friday's women's compound open was a closely fought elimination, with all the matches going down to the final set to decide the winning archers. Of the eight competitors advancing into the quarterfinals, three are Russian and two represent Great Britain, so both teams will be hoping to see their archers progress into the semifinals on Tuesday.   In the first match, Danielle BROWN (GBR), Paralympic champion and world No.1, will come up against Spain's Maria RUBIO LARRION, who beat BROWN's teammate Pippa BRITTON in the elimination round on Friday.   Gulbin SU (TUR), ranked No.2 in the world but who came last in the ranking round on Thursday, will be hoping to demonstrate her world-class ability and advance to the semifinal when she shoots against the first of Russia's archers Marina LYZHNIKOVA (RUS). The winner of that pairing will face the winner of BROWN v RUBIO LARRION.   BROWN's teammate Mel CLARKE (GBR) will be facing Japan's Miho NAGANO, who holds the lowest world ranking, 29, going into the quarterfinal competition.   Olga POLEGAEVA (RUS) will play her teammate, world ranked No.4 Stepanida ARTAKHINOVA. The winner of that match will go on to play the winner of CLARKE v NAGANO.   Source: PNS Edited by World Archery Communication