Berlin 2017: Recurve finals predictions

The last day of the fourth and final stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup season doesn’t have implications for the World Cup Final in Rome, as all the places are already decided, but it does have an interesting undertone for another upcoming event.

Alejandra Valencia is gearing up for a home World Archery Championships in Mexico City, and will face a young Korean for gold in Berlin, her first major final since an Olympic campaign that came… so close.

Here are our picks for the individual matches on recurve Sunday in Berlin…

Recurve women’s gold final:
ALEJANDRA VALENCIA  / KANG CHAE YOUNG 

Mexico’s Valencia had her best finish of 2016 at the Olympic Games in Rio, coming fourth, but will secure her first individual podium since 2013 in Berlin.

Kang Chae Young hasn’t won a medal – outside of one team gong – since she burst onto the scene in 2015, winning three gold medals at the first stage of the year in Shanghai.

The Korean archer’s average arrow – in matchplay and overall – this season has been better, but Valencia has made this event her own. She’s not finished any match with a set score less than 29 – and it’s finishing that counts in this game.

Advantage: Alejandra

Recurve men’s gold final:
KIM WOOJIN  / KIM JONGHO 

One of these Koreans is the 25-year-old reigning World Archery Champion, rounding into form ahead of the 2017 edition, an Olympic team gold medallist and the world record holder at 70 metres.

The other is a 21-year-old first-time member of the Korean team, shooting in his first international individual medal match.

Kim Woojin, shooting an average arrow of 9.53 to Kim Jongho’s 9.38, is the favourite. But it would be quite a story if his opponent was to force an upset.

Advantage: Woojin

Recurve women’s bronze final:
VERONIKA MARCHENKO  / CHANG HYE JIN 

This is the first time the Olympic Champion has been draw against Marchenko, who’s won continental titles in Europe, in international competition. 

Chang has had the post-Olympic season she wanted, taking a gold and a silver at the two previous World Cup events she’s competed at – making another medal match at the third – and qualifying top for the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final.

Marchenko, the 24th seed in Berlin, has averaged 9.00 points per arrow in matchplay this season. She’ll need more to beat Chang’s 9.51.

Advantage: Hye Jin

Recurve men’s bronze final:
ARTEM MAKHNENKO / CRISPIN DUENAS 

Duenas, who often commentates on our live stream at the weekend, said he was happy to be out of the broadcast booth and back on the field. The Canadian is a world championship bronze medallist, and often qualifies well, but hasn’t picked up an international podium since that third place in 2013.

Makhnenko, meanwhile, has never medalled internationally – but the stats point in his favour… just.

Advantage: Artem

The fourth stage of the 2017 Hyundai Archery World Cup runs 8 to 13 August in Berlin, Germany.