Denmark retained their compound mixed team Hyundai Archery World Cup title in a high-quality display against Colombia. The team of Tanja Jensen and reigning World Champion Stephan Hansen defeated Alejandra Usquiano and Camilo Cardona, 155-152.
It meant they became circuit winners for a second year in a row, after taking gold at Mexico City 2015, when Stephan shot with Erika Anear.
There, the Danish team qualified as the top-ranked mixed team on the year. At Odense 2016, Denmark was the host nation defending its turf. (It’s the fourth time the host nation has won the mixed team event – all in the compound competition.)
Both the Danes and Colombia were solid in the match, putting nothing outside the nine ring, but Hansen’s consistency gave Denmark a two-point lead going into the third. They maintained that lead into the fourth end, when the wind visibly wobbled Danish bows, but Colombia didn’t have enough in reply and Denmark took the match.
“It’s never easy to win. We did our best. We just did what we were supposed to. They shot really good. I got a little pressure, I could really feel it,” said Tanja.
“We knew it would be a tough match. Me and Stephan have shot together many times, so we are very comfortable in the situation. It’s just like practice. Nothing out of the ordinary!”
The Colombian pairing of Cardona and Usquiano hadn’t been able to practice together at all – Sara Lopez had been expected to be one half of the pairing, but withdrew from the competition only one week prior to the event.
“We didn’t have any time to prepare, because the last time we shot together [as a mixed team] was in 2012, and we don’t get to shoot together much in the national team. We live in different states,” explained Alejandra. She lives in Medellin region, Camilo in Pereira.
“Despite the results, we think we did a good job and represented our country and did Sara proud.”
The 2016 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final runs 24/25 September in Odense, Denmark.
