Elmaagacli: “I’m ready to defend the title”

Turkey’s Demir Elmaagacli won the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in Mexico City in 2015. It was the boost, he said, his international career needed.

“When I won the title last year, I knew it was just the beginning for me,” said Demir. “I’m ready to defend it, I’ve been focused on this competition and I have prepared for it well.”

A surprise winner in Mexico, he took silver at the first stage of the 2016 season in Shanghai and then finished fifth in Antalya, results that qualified him – seeded second – to his second World Cup Final in Odense.

In his first match, Demir faces South Africa’s Seppie Cilliers, who’s back on the world platform after a five-year hiatus.

“I have watched him shooting, but I haven’t followed him much,” said Demir.

“I’m not focusing on anybody but myself. I know I worked hard to be here today, watched my videos to check if anything needed some improvement and shot 600 arrows per day. Nothing special, but good enough to be in good form here.”

If Demir wins his first match, he will meet either Turkish teammate Evren Cagiran or the USA’s Reo Wilde, two of his favourite archers competing in Odense.

But, if there’s one man Demir wishes to shoot the final against, it would be Mike “Mister Perfect” Schloesser.

“I want to meet Mike in the finals. We have shot against each other this year before, I made some silly mistakes and I lost. This time I want to beat him,” he said.

Those mistakes cost Demir the gold medal in Shanghai by four points, 135-139.

If they meet again in Odense, Demir is determined to have a different outcome – but before that, he’s got something else on his mind: the weather.

“Odense is a bit colder than my country. Right now, the temperature back there is around 30 degrees Celsius, so I guess the weather is something hard for me. I will try to adapt and try not to think much about it,” he said.

The 2016 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final runs 24/25 September in Odense, Denmark.