Compound stars scattered leaving room for first-timers in Antalya finals

12 June 2014

Antalya (TUR)

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None of the American compound superstars survived the Antalya eliminations. Colombia’s Sara LOPEZ and the USA’s Braden GELLENTHIEN, Reo WILDE… all on the wrong end of a head-to-head match scoreline.

“I got caught a couple of times,” said a succinct WILDE about the wind. “That was it.” Dane Stephan HANSEN, who’s won a world or continental junior championships for the last four years in a row, knocked him out. Reo did say, quite matter-of-factly: “I’ll be back in Poland.”

Top Europeans Peter ELZINGA – the Dutch man who won the last stage at Medellin – and Frenchman Sebastien PEINEAU, who won Shanghai, also fell short.

Instead of the normal names, India’s Rajat CHAUHAN will contest men’s compound gold with CHOI Yong Hee of Korea. You might remember CHAUHAN’s name because he knocked Martin DAMSBO out of the Belek 2013 worlds last year… while CHOI’s name is one to remember for the future, as he’s now the first ever compound man Korea’s ever had in a World Cup stage final.

Fatimah ALMASHHADANI left a trail of carnage through the women’s brackets. The young Iraqi athlete – sister of Olympian Rand – dispatched Jamie VAN NATTA, 15-arrow world record holder Sara LOPEZ and reigning World Cup Final champ Alejandra USQUIANO.

Antalya will be ALMASHHADANI’s first medal match: “I want nothing more than to bring home the gold medal on Saturday.”

Training is difficult in Iraq. ALMASHHADANI doesn‘t have a dedicated archery field in which to train. “It’s a quiet area with high temperatures: no shade, no grass and in the mountains,” said Fatimah. “We’ve been fighting to get where we are now, and we are very proud.”

Her gold medal opponent is 25-year-old Natalia AVDEEVA. Hailing from Russia, Natalia’s notched up a steady series of international results – often as part of the nation’s teams – somewhat under the radar since 2009. This is AVDEEVA’s first World Cup stage final.

Turkey’s got a representative in the final at their home tournament, too. Yesim BOSTAN will shoot in the compound women’s bronze medal match on the Antalya beach – live on Archery TV.

Competition at the third 2014 Archery World Cup stage in Antalya runs from 11-15 June. Check scores, event news and visit World Archery’s Facebook page and @worldarchery on Twitter for coverage.