Recurve predictions thwarted after quarters? Koreans and German girls out

This year, the World Cup Final's recurve competition is influenced– strangely – by the Asian Games starting later this month.

Korea gave up one slot in each recurve category in order to fully prepare for Incheon 2014, which is an extremely important event in Asia and for the host nation. The super-conservative Korean coaching staff wanted to take no chances.

We should count ourselves lucky: Korea wasn’t planning to send anyone, but plans changed and OH Jin Hyek and JUNG Dasomi made the trip to Lausanne.

Two international archery pundits were asked to give their Lausanne 2014 predictions before the event. Here’s who top USA compound coach John DUDLEY and Easton International Technical Advisor George TEKMITCHOV picked for the recurve division.

John’s bet in the women’s division was the safest of all, Dasomi. But he wasn’t fully convinced: “Hopefully, with so much focus on the Asian Games, there isn't a lack of focus on this event for her or her support,” going on to say that the Koreans seem to thrive on travelling as a team, shooting as a team and winning as a team.

Being without a team… would the results continue?

George TEKMITCHOV agreed that Korea’s sole female entry for the event had to be favourite, but added she has not been as confident as usual and may be vulnerable to challengers if they can establish an early lead in set play.

Both were right to be cautious: JUNG did not go through… at her second World Cup Final appearance after Istanbul 2011, she faced a barrage of strong sets in the first match of the day.

Her quarterfinal opponent, Russia’s Tatiana SEGINA, came back twice from a two-set-point deficit to push the match to a tiebreaker. She scored 10 with her shoot-off arrow, while Dasomi could only manage a 9.

“I’m in the mood to shoot good today,” said Tatiana.

With JUNG out, George TEKMITCHOV counted on Elena RICHTER or Germany of teammate Lisa UNRUH to figure in the final. But that won’t happen, either.

Elena lost to CHENG Ming, the Instanbul 2011 Champion from China, who won three straight sets to win after trailing 4-0.

Last year in Paris, London silver medallist Aida ROMAN lost her first match. This time the Mexican beat UNRUH in a shoot-off: “At many World Cup stages this year, I was close to the finals but didn’t quite make it. I’m glad I will finally be there today.”

The second Chinese archer at the event, London 2012 team silver medallist XU Jing lived up to her top seed status. She beat a two-time Olympian and Switzerland's host representative, Nathalie DIELEN, 6-2 this morning.

There was a deciding contest in the morning of the men’s competition, according to John DUDLEY: Brady ELLISON (USA) versus OH Jin Hyek (KOR). In the first round: “I think this match decides the winner of the tournament! Who will it be? Tough call… But this match sets the pace.”

Olympic Champion OH is the defending Champion from Paris 2013. As George TEKMITCHOV explains, OH was a little off form at the Asian Grand Prix in Chinese Taipei in late July, but could be expected to peak at the Final: “He often rises to the occasion away from home!”

Not this time, though… OH led 4-0 but ELLISON came back to force a shoot-off at 5-5. One 10 each in the one-arrow tiebreaker, but closest to the centre for the American.

Rick VAN DER VEN (NED), fourth at London 2012, beat local Adrian FABER (SUI), while Florian KAHLLUND (GER) beat France’s Pierre PLIHON.

Sixteen-year-old Marcus DALMEIDA, the number two seed, youngest ever archer to shoot at a World Cup Final and recent Youth Olympic runner-up… is into the semis. He made short work of Olympic team silver medallist Jake KAMINSKI: winning in straight sets.

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