Rest overrated, says last-minute arrival Ellison

Brady Ellison topped recurve men’s qualification at the second stage of the 2017 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Antalya, Turkey with a score of 686 out of a possible 720 points, despite missing official practice.

Ellison only arrived into Antalya at 11pm on Tuesday night, slept on and off for at most seven hours, then managed to top the table on Wednesday morning, nine points clear of Jean-Charles Valladont of France and Italian David Pasqualucci, who both scored 677.

“I came straight from our US national field championships and our trials for the World Games. I ended up winning the nationals, and I shot a couple of good scores, so that was good. We only got in very late last night,” said Brady, laughing: “Rest is overrated!”

While a long way off his best competition score of 695, set in Shanghai last year, he was happy with the result in Antlaya.

“For the weather here and how I've been practising, it was about where I should have shot. The wind picked up in that second half a bit and I made a couple of mistakes, but overall I’m happy with the result,” he explained, adding that if there hadn’t been a rising breeze over the back 36 arrows, he would have liked to have been in the mid-690s.

Placing first means Brady – like all the top 8 – has a bye through to the third round of eliminations and will begin his individual competition on Friday morning.

Prior to that, he’ll pair with Anna Miscione in the mixed team event and shoot with Matt Requa and Chris Webster in a new roster for the USA men’s team.

The second stage of the 2017 Hyundai Archery World Cup runs 6 to 11 June in Antalya, Turkey.