Consistent Colombian compounders take Shanghai mixed team gold

Yesim BOSTAN made an individual final last year at her home stage in Antalya. No rookie, her Turkish mixed team started the gold medal match with a perfect end. 

With the Colombians on their back foot, BOSTAN and partner Demir ELMAAGACLI let the pressure off, dropping all three arrows of their second series into the nine. The advantage switched and the Colombians jumped ahead. 

Sara LOPEZ and Daniel MUNOZ shot four straight ends of 39 and Turkey just couldn’t catch up. 

BOSTAN and ELMAAGACHLI finished three points behind their South American opponents and with silver. Final score: 156-153. 

The Colombian archers said they preferred the field this year, reversed and shooting in the opposite direction to previous events at the venue. “There was more light,” explained LOPEZ. Of course, it also helps that the sun was peeking through the clouds and there was no rain. 

 “We’ve done some amazing things this week. We had some mistakes, but everyone makes mistakes. We’ve grown up fast together and we’re more than a team – friends and always supporting each other.”

LOPEZ took to the Shanghai finals field later in the day for the individual compound women’s gold medal match. 

The Dutch arrived prepared to fight for bronze. 

Sporting his yellow bow on the yellow floor, Mike SCHLOESSER and his partner, Irina MARKOVIC, put their first four arrows into the middle, asserting command over the match from the very beginning. 

SCHLOESSER has had a string of good results recently, highlighted by becoming the first person to ever shoot a perfect-600 18-metre qualification round at the start of the year. 

He form clearly continued into the outdoor season. 

After qualifying third, his first trip onto the finals field on the World Cup circuit ended in a convincing victory. The Netherlands beat Slovenia by six points, 155 to 149. 

“I’ve been practising hard,” said Mr Perfect Mike. “And it seems to be paying off. I’ve never shot a World Cup Final and this is the year.” 

SCHLOESSER also made the compound men’s gold at Shanghai 2015. 

Read more about Shanghai 2015.