“Body language and hand signals” – the keys to Nanjing mixed team success

The mixed team competition at Nanjing does not partner two athletes from the same nation. Instead, the top boys’ seed is paired with the 32-ranked girl, second with the 31-seed and so on…

It means archers that have never shot together – or even spoken to each other before – have to work together in the archery arena. They’re alone out there, too, with neither country’s coach behind for support.

Nanjing 2014 21-26 August
Youth Olympic Games

NEWS | RESULTS 
SCOREBOARD | PHOTOS
Fri 22 Aug Ranking round
Sat 23 Aug Eliminations
Sun 24 Aug Mixed team finals

Mon 25 Aug Girls finals
Tues 26 Aug Boys finals

See full schedule

It’s a first opportunity to shoot the mixed team discipline for some archers, like Australia’s Jessica SUTTON, who said seeing her face on the big screen at full draw “was nerve-wracking” – and a great learning experience.

Brazil’s Marcus DALMEIDA, usually so reserved and quiet – on the competition field and behind it – opened up, laughing and joking with his partner. Then letting out a big cheer when his mixed team won.

The biggest challenge for two archers shooting together for the first time: communication… especially if the two athletes don’t speak the same language.

“We used body language mostly,” said Chinese Taipei’s HAN Yun-Chien, who was partnered with Sviatlana KAZANSKAYA from Belarus. “Some of the volunteers translated into English for us at the start.”

Archers usually speak to their teammates during the match, offering up messages of support. HAN and Sviatlana: “hand signals,” he said, grinning and giving a big thumbs up. The pair won their first-round match in a shoot-off.

Bryony PITMAN had a Belarusian mixed team partner, too – and said hand signals were essential, while miming a conversation to decide who shoots first and second.

“Probably he was in charge,” she claimed. “Because I’m happy to do whatever…”

The Brit said she enjoyed having to shoot, and talk, with teams she wouldn’t usually interact with: “you’re working with someone you normally want to lose – and you want the people you normally shoot with to lose, so you can win.”

“You’re not supposed to say that,” interjected British boy Brad DENNY, waiting to take to the field.

“Well I don’t anymore! Now I want you to win…”

DENNY did win – when Japan’s Miasa KOIKE settled her nerves and shot a 10 with her last arrow, which she was visibly thrilled with – but Bryony didn’t. She lost a second match to Guatemala’s Regina ROMERO at this tournament after the girl’s first round yesterday.

There are no hard feelings, though. PITMAN said Regina was a competitor like any other, and both matches could have gone either way: “it just gives me a little more incentive for next time.”

PITMAN even went so far as to say she’d like the mixed teams to be drawn before the event to allow more time to practice together. Athletes in Nanjing who managed to arrange the cooperation quickly and effectively formed quite formidable partnerships on the field.

The format can also throw up intriguing match-ups. Germans Andreas MAYR and Cynthia FREYWALD shot against each other in the last round of the morning.

MAYR and his Tongan partner won the first set, FREYWALD and Malaysia’s Muhamad Zarif Syahiir the next two – but couldn’t close the match. It was 4-all at the end of regulation sets: shoot-off.

“It’s not so fun to see your teammate the other side of the line,” said FREYWALD, after winning the tiebreaker. “Because you want to see them make the gold medal match.”

Andreas agreed: “It’s a bit strange. But all you can do is approach it like a normal match, and shoot the best you can.” Both said they enjoyed the experience.

The mixed team finals take place this afternoon at Nanjing 2014.

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