Medellin 2016: 10 things you need to know

This year’s second stage on the international archery tour is also the penultimate one. In a shortened season, making way for the Olympic Games later in the summer, Medellin marks a chance to pick up points before a highly-contested last stop in Antalya.

(Turkey is set to become one of the biggest competitions ever – fielding certainly the largest group of athletes we’ve ever seen on the tour.)

Here’s 10 things you need to know before Medellin begins…

1. Americas Olympic qualifier

On the day before official practice, 15 nations from the Americas fought it out for six invitations to Rio 2016. Canada, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Mexico, El Salvador and Chile all won a single spot.

It means it could be the first time an archer from the Dominican Republic competes at a Games.

2. World record run

At stage one in Shanghai, Mike Schloesser beat his own 72-arrow, 50-metre ranking round world record by a point, increasing it to 717 out of a possible 720 points. The USA compound men’s team also upped their team qualification world-best mark.

Deepika Kumari equalled the recurve women’s qualifying world record and Brady Ellison shot the third highest recurve score in competition in history.

It’s the Olympic year, and the level is going up, and up, and up, and…

3. Venezuela’s Malave

Eyes on 26-year-old Elias Malave. He’s flashed big performances in past years, winning the final qualifier for the London 2012 Olympics in Odgen four years ago, and putting together a masterful run at the 2015 World Archery Championships in Copenhagen.

There, he knocked out third-seeded Korean Ku Bonchan in the fourth round to spring a run at a medal match. He fell just short to Takaharu Furukawa in the bronze medal match, in a shoot-off, but has ongoing, and growing, medal potential.

4. Korea’s Olympic Six

Countries are beginning to choose their Olympic representatives, if they have already qualified places to the Games. Korea, the most successful nation in archery’s history at the Olympics, was one of the first to officially announce the squad.

Medellin is that six-athlete team’s first appearance ahead of the big dance. 

World Archery Champions Kim Woojin and Ki Bo Bae, with Ku Bonchan, Lee Seungyun, Choi Misun and Chang Hye Jin, will be expected to be at their best from start to glorious finish this season.

5. The (continental) locals

Of the 217 athletes competing in Medellin, 110 are from the Americas. It’s not surprising, since the draw of the continental Olympic qualifier has attracted those with Rio dreams – plus many European archers stayed at home to prepare for the Europeans (and their Olympic qualifier) in just over one week’s time.

6. Rain, rain, go away…

The weather forecast for this week in the Colombian city of eternal spring is, well, wet. We expect a good deal of water to fall from the skies – and archers are preparing for it.

Some even gave us tips for our collection of expert advice for shooting in less-than-ideal weather conditions.

7. Brazilian Paralympian?

Jane Karla Gogel, a Brazilian Paralympic hopeful who won the Para Pan American Games in Toronto in 2015, recently carried the Olympic torch when it arrived in her country one week prior to Medellin.

 

She made the able-bodied team for the first time to travel to Medellin – and has high hopes for first qualifying and then her first appearance at the Paralympics on home soil.

(As an aside, Jane was previously an international para table tennis player.)

8. Adios Medellin…

After four years of Hyundai Archery World Cup stages in Colombia, we’ll be saying goodbye to the beautiful city of Medellin as a stop on the world tour in 2016. It’s been a fantastic host of each and every competition held in the South American country.

This year’s finals in Medellin, in a new location close to the Museum of Modern Art, are sure to leave a lasting memory.

In 2017, the Americas stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup will be hosted by Salt Lake City, USA.

9. Higher/Lower: Colombian medals

In compound competition, Colombia has picked up medals with incredible consistency over the past few seasons, thanks mostly to Alejandra Usquiano and Sara Lopez’s respective emergences. 

Now joined by a recurve team that can hold its own – the women qualified full quota to Rio in 2015 and the men a single place – the odds on Colombia picking up at least three podium spots in Medellin is high. 

10. Podium

Last year’s gold medallists in Medellin:

This year? Tune in to www.worldarchery.orgwww.archery.tv and follow World Archery’s FacebookTwitterInstagram and Tumblr accounts to find out…

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