Iran’s archers lead the way going into elimination rounds

Iran will be looking to build on their dominant ranking-round performances in the recurve W1/W2 classes after leading archers in the men and women’s competitions finished in the top two on Thursday.   Many of the top archers from Thursday’s ranking round will have byes for their last-16 and last-eight elimination rounds.

Zahra NEMATI (IRI) finished well ahead of her fellow archers in the women’s recurve W1/W2 event, scoring 613 points and setting a Paralympic record. She will be looking to better her score, keeping the likes of 2011 para world champion XIAO Yanhong at bay in the elimination rounds. World ranked No.2 Hatice BAYAR (TUR) is one of only a few competition favourites who will have to play a last-16 match and will be anxious to beat her opponent Lyne TREMBLAY (CAN).

Defending para world champion Ebrahim RANJBARKIVAJ (IRI) was beaten to the top ranking place by Chinese Taipei archer TSENG Lung Hui, and both will go straight into the last eight after byes in the last 16. RANJBARKIVAJ will be aiming to stake his claim on a place in the quarterfinals after Friday’s eliminations. Beijing 2008 gold medallist CHENG Changjie ranked third and the next stage of the competition is expected to be tight.

The archery world is watching with anticipation as Matt STUTZMAN (USA) benefits from a bye, though in the last eight he will contest his first elimination round at a Paralympic Games. After finishing a clear winner in his ranking round, 12 points ahead of surprise second place Jere FORSBERG (FIN), STUTZMAN will be hoping to make it through to the compound open semifinals on Saturday.

Competition favourite and Beijing 2008 gold medallist David DRAHONINSKY (CZE) beat world record holder Jeff FABRY (USA) in the men’s compound W1 event by only three points, more than 20 points ahead of third place Peter KINIK (SVK). All three have byes into the quarterfinals on Saturday so Osmo KINNUNEN (FIN) and Great Britain’s John CAVANAGH, ranked No.2 and No.3 in the world respectively, will both be working hard in Friday’s elimination rounds to ensure this does not remain a two-way contest.

Danielle BROWN (GBR), 2008 Paralympic and 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, ranked first, despite shooting her lowest score of the season. She also has a bye for Friday’s elimination round.

Teammate Mel CLARKE and Russian pair Stepanida ARTIKHINOVA and Marina LYZHNIKOVA will join BROWN and feel the benefit of byes directly into the quarterfinals. Of those competing in the elimination round on Friday, world No.2 Gulbin SU (TUR) and world No.3 Zandra REPPE (SWE), will both be hoping to improve on their ranking-round performances to keep the leading pack within touching distance.
    Source: PNS Edited by World Archery Communication