Ki Bo Bae defends Hyundai Archery World Cup Final title in Rome

Korean World Archery Champion Ki Bo Bae succesfully defended her Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion crown in Rome with a powerful display in front of the Italian crowd, beating Ksenia Perova of Russia in the final, 7-1, with sets of 28, 29, 29, and 29 points. 

“Before I came here I really wanted to win this tournament. I tried not to think about the result and I think that helped me to win,” said the winner of the London 2012 Olympic Games. “I’m so happy because I won last year and again this year. And my family is here to support me so its great give them a reward.”

The trophy comes on the back of more big news for Bo Bae.

“I’m getting married in November. My fiancee and his mother came here to cheer me on for this important tournament,” the 29-year-old revealed.

While the final with Perova was close to a walkover, not every match was as easy.

The now three-time Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion – after Tokyo 2012 and Odense 2016 – went to a shoot-off with Alejandra Valencia, who only arrived the morning before the finals but displayed the quality that pushed her to third in the world rankings arriving in Rome.

Bo Bae had trouble finding the middle for the first three sets – but, with the match levelled, emphatically found the 10 that had eluded her early on, while Valencia could only reply with a nine.

“The first match was really difficult, in front of a big audience like this. The wind was blowing from the back, and it was very difficult to control,” said Bo Bae. “My coach was just saying, ‘keep calm and peaceful and just shoot your arrows’.”

The semi final brought a much-anticipated showdown between the last two Olympic Champions, Bo Bae and Chang Hye Jin.

Both produced quality arrows to grind the match out to 4-4, before Bo Bae edged the Rio 2016 winner and top seed arriving at this Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in the last set, 28-27.

She then beat Ksenia Perova in a four-set final.

Tan Ya-Ting, who had started the morning so well, was unable to grind out a win in the bronze final against a dispirited-looking Hye Jin, who took third place. 

The 2017 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final takes place on 2/3 September in Rome, Italy.

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