South Africa run Denmark close in mixed team final

A wayward six in the first end put South Africa into a difficult hole. 

The three point deficit would extend to four, four arrows later – after a perfect 40 from Stephan Hansen and Tanja Jensen of Denmark – then be cut to three again. 

In the end, the first-end hiccup would be too much to overcome. 

Jeanine van Kradenburg and Gabriel Badenhorst clawed back two points in the last series, but a final arrow in the nine from Fresh Prince Hansen was enough to secure gold by a single point. 

Final score: 152-151. 

“The six helped us shoot a little more relaxed,” said Hansen. “We were still close, though. A seven from us would have tied the score.” 

Conditions started to get more difficult towards the end of the match. 

“The wind picked up and it was more difficult to shoot,” said JENSEN. 

The young pair, fresh off Antalya gold, will travel to the Yankton 2015 World Archery Youth Championships next week, confident of their chances. 

Germany beat Slovenia 151-149 in the mixed team bronze medal match. Drawn at halfway, Kristina Heigenhauser and Marcus Laube pulled away in the third end. 

Walking off the field, the German pair was laughing, smiling and ready to take the waiting congratulations of their teammates. 

Marcus, who was shooting in his first final, admitted he felt some serious nerves. 

“I was shaking but we made it through. I was so happy to shoot with Kristina. She’s an excellent archer,” he said.

Returning to the international field for the first time since she won the World Archery Championships in 2013, Heigenhauser added to an already impressive medal record with the gong. 

“If I had lost it would not have been very nice to hear: ‘Oh look, Kristina lost’,” she said, laughing and smiling. “With the nice medal, we don’t have to travel home naked!”