Sarah Sonnichsen… on her competitors

After taking a spectacular individual win at the Indoor Archery World Cup Final in Las Vegas in January, she followed up with individual silver and team gold in Shanghai, team gold in Ankara, and an individual fourth place in Medellin.

All this winning meant that she was seeded number two behind Sara Lopez for the season-ending Hyundai Archery World Cup Final. After Lopez pulled out with just a week to go, citing personal reasons, Sonnichsen became the number one seed for the final. 

“I was only told on Sunday. I was expecting to see her [Sara] here, it came as kind of a shock to everyone. It’s a pity. She’s the one I want to shoot against, because she’s so good.” Lopez was replaced by 16-year-old Dahlia Crook from the USA - who Sarah beat in the quarterfinals in Las Vegas earlier in 2016. 

With expectations now just a little higher, we asked Sarah what she made of her competition in Odense:

CRYSTAL GAUVIN, USA  (2)

“I think I’ve shot against her twice, and I think I lost both times, so that’s not fun. I know I’m ranked higher than her but I haven’t met her at the other World Cups.”

“I think she’s mentally very strong. Her scores in finals are so high sometimes. It’s hard to keep up with her. Sometimes I think, ‘can’t you shoot an eight or something?’ She doesn’t give up.”

MARCELLA TONIOLI, Italy  (3)

“I know I shot against her in Colombia and lost. Her mental game was on point, and mine wasn’t. She has all the experience, and she’s really sweet too. I like that about her. I think I shot against her at the world championships in Copenhagen as well, but that one I won. It was windy as hell, but I’m Danish, so I’m used to it.”

INGE VAN CASPEL, Netherlands (4)

“Either I’m shooting really good against her or I’m shooting really bad. I shot really good against her in Shanghai, but at the Europeans I was terrible. But it’s always fun. I have one of her guinea pigs. It doesn’t feel like competition shooting against her, because we talk a lot about everything.” 

YESIM BOSTAN, Turkey (5)

“I haven’t shot against her I don’t think. She’s a little like me, in that this year has been really good for both of us, we both came out of nowhere. She seems sweet.” 

LILY CHANU PAONAM, India (6) 

The Indian archer made it to Odense by quietly placing high in several competitions without taking a medal.

“I don’t know anything about her at all, I don’t think I’ve ever shot against her.” (Nevertheless, they could meet in the final here.)

DAHLIA CROOK, USA (7)

“I’ve talked to her. She’s a really sweet girl. She’s got talent, and she shoots with the same bow as me! I like her, I think she can go far. She started early in world cups, that’s a good thing. How old is she? 16? In the World Cup Final? That’s a good start. Don’t get any better, please!” 

ERIKA ANEAR, Denmark (8)

Sarah’s teammate is her first opponent in the finals tomorrow.

“Have we shot against each other? It’s happened a couple of times, yeah. [laughs]. Seriously, at the Nationals. It’s going to be weird. I’m so used to practising with her. So it’s gonna be suddenly really serious. I’m used to eating cake with her!”

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