USA compound juniors win 3 Dublin medals

Sophia Strachan, Savannah Wanderwier and Steven Collins won the USA one gold and two silvers in the compound junior division at the World Archery Field Championships.

Sophia and Savannah shot for the compound junior women title.

“It was intense,” said Sophia, looking at her teammate Savannah. “To be honest, it also feels like home because we do this all the time, we flip-flop like every tournament.”

“It was really fun but also kind of hard because we both wanted to win, and expected the other to win, too – to do well.”

Sophia was second seed and Savannah third after the unmarked and marked qualifications day. Then first and second, respectively, after the two elimination rounds.

During the gold medal match, the young ladies were tied at 15 points each after the first of the four finals targets, a 25-metre 40cm face. On the next target, Sophia took a one point-lead that she kept until the last arrow to win the match, 59-58.

“We knew it was going to be close, so we just went out there to shoot our arrows and see where they landed. Either way, it is the US who won today,” said Savannah, who appreciated the set up of the arena: “Those were really cool angles, challenging and it made us enjoy the match.”

Sixteen-year-old Steven Collins collected the second compound junior silver medal for the States against new World Archery Field Champion Nico Wiener from Austria. Nico won it by four points, 67-63.

Steven also took gold with the junior men’s team.

“It was good, but he shot better than me,” he said. “I guess this match, including all I’ve been through this week, it’s definitely a learning experience. This is my first international ever, so I guess it’s still good.”

In total, USA won one gold, three silvers and one bronze in the junior categories.

The 2016 World Archery Field Championships run 27 September to 2 October in Dublin, Ireland.