Dielen puts 2 points on indoor world record

Two-time Swiss Olympian Nathalie Dielen broke one world record and tied another during the indoor stage of the 2017 World Masters Games as athletes aged 30 and over from 19 countries travelled to Auckland to compete across four archery disciplines.

Dielen trailed the USA’s Laura Bennett over the first half of the 60-arrow 25-metre round but Bennett shot two arrows in the same spot during the back half, costing her 10 points and dropping her back into second. Dielen maintained the lead and broke her own masters world record by two points, scoring 566 out of a possible 600 points.

“My objective was to beat a world record,” said Nathalie, who also tied the 18-metre world-best mark from Marie-Claire van Stevens set in 2002 with 572 points. “But I was aiming for the outdoor rather than the indoor. The wind decided otherwise! I’d focused on all my training on the outdoor and took the rest as it came.”

Dielen represented Switzerland in both the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and at London 2012.

“I competed in the Masters Games [in Melbourne in 2002] before I went to the Olympics, therefore the Masters Games and its atmosphere will always be special,” she said.

“As well as the archery, I’ve also had the opportunity to take a trip on a New Zealand race boat, which was used to practise ahead of the Americas Cup in Valencia.”

Dielen collected three gold medals and one silver at the multi-sporting event.

The 2017 World Masters Games took place on 21-30 April in Auckland, New Zealand and attracted over 25,000 athletes from around the world.

People