WILDE shoots two 150s to make gold match; Wroclaw compound finalists set

After a slow start in the third round – his first match of the day after a top-eight bye – the USA’s Reo WILDE recorded two perfect scores and a 149 to make the Wroclaw compound men’s gold medal match.

“I feel like I shot really good today”, he said just after his second 150. “Things fell right in excellent conditions. It was just really nice to shoot some good arrows.”

WILDE explained that he made some changes in his set-up before qualifications. But as his ranking round was a “little rough” – seventh with 699 points – he said he went back to the range today and “changed it back!”

“I had been shooting well the last few weeks, including our US nationals: so I knew what I was capable of.”

The world number two will face current world number one PJ DELOCHE in the gold medal match. The Frenchman improved each elimination round, before shooting a pair of 148s and knocking out defending World Cup Final champ Martin DAMSBO in the semifinals.

Dane DAMSBO has Russia’s Alexander DAMBAEV in the bronze final. They both lost all hope of a Lausanne spot with semifinal defeat.

Shanghai compound women’s runner-up Sara LOPEZ (COL) – who lost that final courtesy of an equipment malfunction – will have another chance at a stage gold this weekend. She’s up against Turkey’s Cansu COSKUN.

COSKUN beat two-time world champion Albina LOGINOVA on her birthday, today.

LOPEZ and second-seed States archer Christie COLIN’s semifinal went to a shoot-off. The two ladies shot a similar arrow in the 10-ring, but the Colombian’s was ruled closer.

“It was probably the best match of my life, because it was against a great archer. I had a lot of fun today,” said LOPEZ. She admitted that that her goal today was to get just enough points to make it to the World Cup Final, and she did better than she expected.

LOPEZ was, understandably, thrilled: “I'm doing what I love and making my dreams come true. It's amazing!”

In Shanghai, LOPEZ had problems with her bow during the finals day and she had to shoot with Alejandra USQUIANO's equipment. “It was possibly the worst experience ever,” she admitted, scowling.

Now Sara has two bows – so if she has any problems with one, she can shoot with the other.

COLIN and LOGINOVA will contest Wroclaw bronze. Linda OCHOA won’t shoot for a medal, but her top-eight finish collected the experienced Mexican a Lausanne berth.

Lausanne qualification: who’s in

Compound men: WILDE, ELZINGA, PEINEAU, DEATON, DELOCHE, CHAUHAN, CHOI (7)

Compound women: LOPEZ, JONES, LOGINOVA, AVDEEVA, OCHOA, USQUIANO, CERNE (7)

See the latest 2014 Archery World Cup rankings.

Follow results from this year’s last Archery World Cup stage in Wroclaw.