Third medal for SAVENKOVA, as compound titles decided

Alexandra SAVENKOVA (main photo): compound star of the Wuxi World Championships, her first international event. Her journey, that started with the top performance in qualifications and continued with tying the cadet match world record (147), concluded with three medals today - including the coveted individual gold.

After winning team silver and mixed team gold, the 17-year-old Russian archer returned to the field to meet Sonia TANIGUCHI (USA) in the women’s final. A perfect start gave the American archer an initial lead, but SAVENKOVA came back in the second end. In the third, she moved ahead - after a 10-10-10 series - with a one-point advantage. Another three 10s then secured the win, 145-142.

“This is a very good day”, stated 'Sasha' SAVENKOVA. “Before coming to China I didn’t expect so many medals, perhaps one in the team event but not individually. My next objective is making the Russian senior team, maybe in one year.”

Shooting for the bronze medal, Danielle REYNOLDS (USA) opened the match with a perfect 30, however Maja ORLIC (CRO) - fourth at the recent senior World Archery Championships aged only 16 – overcame the initial two-point deficit with two perfect 30s. She kept a small lead, but her opponent had an opportunity to force a shoot-off by scoring a 10 with her last arrow. It was only an 8: ORLIC won the match 145-143.

Croatia celebrated another medal - this time gold - when Domagoj BUDEN (photo) won the men’s cadet title a few moments later. Top qualifier, the 16-year-old had a low-scoring first end (27) in the final, a disappointing start against Renaud DOMANSKI (BEL) - runner-up two years ago and world junior field champion. However a perfect third end brought him back in contention. The fourth end was crucial for BUDEN, who took a three-point lead with 10-10-10 against his opponent's 9-9-9. Then, despite a perfect 30 to conclude, DOMANSKI finished the match two points behind (143-145).

Dubravko BUDEN has now coached his two children to becoming world champions – Domagoj’s sister Ivana won the field title in 2012, and came close to winning the title in Belek earlier this month.

Mario VAVRO (CRO) made it three Croatians on the podium today: he led n°5 Isak CARLSSON (SWE) from beginning to end in the bronze medal match.

New star of the 2013 senior season, Sara LOPEZ (photo) won the junior women’s title. No less was expected of the 18-year-old Colombian, who went from being unknown before June to becoming world n°3 and 15-arrow match senior world record holder (150). She started the final against second-seeded Janine MEISSNER (GER) with a perfect 30, and held a small lead until the final three arrows. The match ended in a tie (145-145), but the winner of the Antalya World Cup was super in the shoot-off - with an X very close to the centre that her opponent couldn’t match. MEISSNER, 19, got her first international podium today.

In the American dual for the bronze medal, Paige PEARCE took the lead twice, after the first and third ends, but Kailey JOHNSTON - team gold medallist at the 2011 Antalya World Cup - came back and tied twice. She was stronger in the final end: 10-10-10 against 10-9-10.

Last out to the field, new senior world team champion Stephan HANSEN (photo) of Denmark won the men’s junior world title as the night fell on Wuxi. In a final between two experienced 18-year-olds, HANSEN led World Cup team medallist from India Rajat CHAUHAN from the start and was never threatened. Hitting 10 was rare on both sides, ending in a 139-136 win for HANSEN.

The Danish archer commented that the conditions were “a little bit different. But I shouldn’t have made so many 9s! It’s still 50m, and there is no wind.” Nervousness, maybe? “Of course, I was nervous, but I should have shot a little more.”

Jignas CHITTIBOMMA, aged 19 and also World Cup team medallist, secured a second individual podium for India. He won the bronze medal match with a last-arrow 10, 143-141, over Baptiste SCARCERIAUX (BEL), vanquisher of new senior individual world champion Mike SCHLOESSER (NED) earlier in the competition.

The World Youth Championships continue tomorrow with the recurve finals.

World Archery Communication