8 youth archers win world bronzes; Mexico takes 2

The last of the elimination matches at the 2017 World Archery Youth Championships chose eight individual bronze medallists, leaving only gold medal matches left on finals weekend in Rosario, Argentina.

Mexico’s Edgar Diaz and Antonio Hidalgo both won third places in the compound boys events – Diaz as a cadet and Hidalgo as a junior.

“This is something I’ve been working towards for many years with my family and coaches,” said Hidalgo. “Many things have to happen for this to come together in the right moment.”

“You can arrive with good scores but not show them, so what I did was to be loyal to the work I have done and demonstrate it here.”

Mexico has teams shooting in four of the six gold medal matches on compound Saturday in Rosario.

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All eight individual bronze medallists at the 2017 World Archery Youth Championships.

1. EDGAR DIAZ, Mexico

Fourth seeded but third-place finisher. Diaz scored 697 points for the 50-metre ranking round and only lost to compound cadet men’s favourite Bryan Alvarado during matchplay. Beat Australia’s Nathan Rowley in the bronze final by a point.

“I’m very happy. This is my first world championships and I already got two medals. I was very nervous and anxious during the match but I managed to concentrate, breathe properly and win,” said Diaz. “Winning is a beautiful feeling.”

2. GIZEM ELMAAGACLI, Turkey

The younger sister of 2015 Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion Demir collected her first world medal individually, after bagging a couple with the Turkish team. Beat Italian archer Sara Ret by two points in the compound junior women’s bronze final.

3. RICARDO SOTO, Chile

A Rio 2016 Olympian and the third out of the recurve junior men in Rosario after qualifying, who then converted his seed into final ranking by beating Jan van Tongeren in a five-set epic, 6-4.

“It was a difficult match,” said Soto. “But I’m very satisfied; this was a great experience. I came for a medal and I’m going back with one.”

4. ANTONIO HIDALGO, Mexico

Found himself up against giantkiller Stas Modic, who knocked out number two seed Viktor Orosz, for bronze. Hidalgo was two points up going into the final end – and stayed ahead, bringing home the medal, 144-143.

“My dad is my coach and my mum my nutritionist. I’ve trained in every moment I can, even on weekends, sacrificing parties, and learning and reading about archery. It’s preparation I started ever since Yankton,” said Hilgado.

5. ZHANG MENGYAO, China

The fourth-seeded recurve cadet woman had a gift in the quarterfinals. She was handed a bye when her potential opponents were disqualified for not completing their scorecard in the previous round.

She then fell to Korea’s Park Sohui in the semis but started with sets of 30 and 29 in the bronze medal match against Su Szu-Ping of Chinese Taipei to jump into a lead she rode to a podium finish, 6-2.

6. KIM PIL-JOONG, Korea

Top-ranked recurve cadet man Kim was upset by Tang Chih-Chun, from Chinese Taipei, in the semis. He opened with a perfect 30 in the bronze medal match against Korean compatriot Seo Mingi and averaged over 28 points a set in the 7-3 victory.

7. GEESA BYBORDY, Iran

Iranian 16-year-old Geesa held out for a one-point win, 142-141, over top-ranked Andrea Becerra in the compound cadet women’s bronze final, preventing Mexico from taking a third individual bronze medal.

8. MELANIE GAUBIL, France

The lowest-seeded individual to podium at the tournament, Gaubil lost only to recurve junior women’s favourite Kim Kyoungeun in the semifinals. She lost the first set of her bronze final with Long Xiaoquing, then scored sets of 27, 27 and 29 points to secure the medal.

The 2017 World Archery Youth Championships run 2 to 10 October in Rosario, Argentina.