Italian team strategy yields highest scores on field

Italy’s Sergio Pagni, Alberto Simonelli and Federico Pagnoni, seeded eighth in the Salt Lake City compound men’s team event, beat Canada, top-ranked USA and France to secure a gold medal match berth at stage three of the Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit.

“We used a very strong team strategy. We took our time but me and Pagnoni are very fast to shoot so we put Simonelli – Rolly – in the first position to take his time,” explained two-time individual winner of the tour Pagni.

“We decided to have the same aiming place. We chose an aiming point together, so when we decided to shoot in the nine or the eight we used exactly the same strategy as a team.”

“This field is not simple but if you have a team, it was easy. This strategy worked.”

The Italian trio shot the highest score on the field in the semifinals, 230 out of a possible 240 points, which was incredible considering the strong gusts blowing across the field of play.

“They‘re annihilating people right now,” said Reo Wilde, after his USA team lost in the quarters. The host team had won gold at all three previous stages of the tour held in the USA – in Odgen.

“I can’t hang my head that we didn’t shoot good. I’m disappointed about losing, but to see a team shoot that good, you can’t hang your head. We did what we could.”

The opening archer in the Italian was two-time Paralympic silver medallist Alberto Simonelli.

“Having him first gave him the power on the team. When he shot, he decided all our shots. If he shoots in the middle, a 10, then all the team shoots in the 10,” said Pagni.

“It’s an important thing to have on your shoulders, but he has big shoulders.”

Italy faces Korea in the Salt Lake final. El Salvador and France contest bronze.

The third stage of the 2017 Hyundai Archery World Cup runs 20 to 25 June in Salt Lake City, USA.