Quotes of the individual men's medal matches

Recurve Men Standing
Timur TUCHINOV (RUS) - gold On reaching the final despite the pressure of being world ranked No.1:
“I'm very pleased to reach the final. There was some pressure to do well as I am ranked number one, and I was praying inside that I would.”

On winning gold:
“I feel wonderful, I am really happy.

On facing teammate Oleg SHESTAKOV in the final:
“I was actually calm. It's my teammate, it's not the first time that we have competed against each other. We have competed in various championships. Playing with a teammate in the final is actually more calming.”

On whether the team will celebrate their medal success on Monday night:
“I don't know, it all depends on my coach, but presumably we will train from tomorrow (Tuesday) and will not celebrate until after Wednesday (the men's team final).”

Oleg SHESTAKOV (RUS) - silver On shooting a 0 in his final set, losing him the match:
“It was my tactic (smiles).”

On winning silver:
“I'm almost happy. The goal was to get any medal and it is my best performance to date. I am still ready to fight in the team competition (on Wednesday).”

On shooting against teammate TUCHINOV:
“We have faced each other in Russian championships but the responsibility is higher in the Paralympics. I feel a sense of duty in front of my fellow countrymen.”

On his disbelief at winning a medal:
“I can't believe I've won a medal. Maybe tomorrow morning, when I wake up and see it on my beside table, I will understand the full weight of what I have done.”

On Russia winning gold, silver and bronze:
“We occupied the whole podium. Thanks to the coaches, we did our best. I was very proud to see three Russian flags at a time, but the flags will go down and we will start all over again tomorrow (the men's team last-eight elimination matches).”

Mikhail OYUN (RUS) On his performance:
“As I worked through the match, I performed well. I am very, very happy.”

On why Russia is performing so well, winning gold, silver and bronze in the recurve standing:
“Our secret is that we work very, very hard. When training I use about 200 arrows a day.”

Eric BENNETT (USA) – 4th On aiming for his average of 26:
“I didn't shoot it today. I went out on the practice range and I felt good out there, I just didn't have it.”

On his performance and the strength of his Russian opponents:
“I've been better. I wasn't riled and I didn't have a problem, the arrows just weren't going where I wanted them to. On top of that the two Russians that I faced are the best in the world. I had my work cut out. I had an amazing time, but I am disappointed in how I finished. I tried my hardest and did my best.”

On whether he will continue his archery career:
“Honestly, I'm not sure. My plan was for this to be my last (Paralympic) Games and retire.”

On what will influence that career decision:
“My biggest influence is I have a full-time job and a family and a lot of responsibility in my life.”

On the use of release devices on bows being banned from the recurve category after the 2012 season:
“I understand the thinking. If you talk to anybody in archery they'll say a release will give you an advantage but maybe it should be looked at in a little bit more detail, not outlaw it outright.
Recurve Men W1/W2
Oscar DE PELLEGRIN (ITA) - gold On shooting a 10 to secure the semifinal victory in the fifth set:
“I feel like I am flying now. It's a wonderful sensation. I knew before shooting that it would be a 10. I had to do it, and I did it.”

On the gold medal match going down to a one-arrow shoot off after being tied at five sets:
“I'm sorry that I made the fans wait so long for me to win the match.”

On what's more important - experience or technique:
“I've had 25 years of experience, but it doesn't really help. It's just about the training and the concentration.”

On the London 2012 Paralympic Games being his last Paralympics:
“It has been a fantastic Paralympics for me. It has not been easy for me to come here and say it was my lasts Paralympics and to keep concentrated enough to win the gold. It's fantastic to end my career like this.”

On support received:
“I want to thank everyone who has helped me throughout my career, including my friends and family, and my coach (Renato DEMIN, ITA).”

On being confident he was going to win gold:
“After winning my quarterfinal against my friend from South Korea (LEE Myeong-Gu, KOR), I was sure I was going to win the gold. Now I have managed it.

SANAWI Hasihin (MAS) - silver On being the first medal winner from Malaysia at the London 2012 Paralympic Games:
“I'm only the second winner of a silver medal in archery ever from Malaysia. I'm not disappointed. I came into the competition ranked 19th and beat several people ranked higher than me to reach the final.”

On his performance, losing in a one-arrow shoot-off after coming back from two sets down:
“This was my best performance, I was very pleased the way I came back from 4-0 down (after the first two sets) and am delighted to take home a medal to my country.”
TSENG Lung Hui (TPE) – bronze On winning bronze:
“I'm quite calm and happy and obviously I am here to win the competition and it's always better to get medals, but even if I hadn't won this bronze medal I wouldn't have been upset. From my 10 years of experience I've learned how to control my feelings.”

On controlling his emotions:
“I am in the peak of my career and I know how to control myself.”

On promoting archery in Chinese Taipei when he returns home:
“I will promote archery and encourage more young people to enjoy and particiapte. At my age, that's my job.”

Compound Men Open

Jere FORSBERG (FIN) - gold On his performance:
“I'm so happy. I knew I would play well, I was confident. It's amazing.”

On his opponent Matt STUTZMAN (USA):
“I haven't played him individually but I have as a team. He is an amazing guy, what he does is amazing (STUTZMAN shoots with his feet).”

On the London 2012 Paralympic Games:
“It's an amazing competition. It's a tense competition but everyone (all the archers) is good.

On going to Rio 2016:
“Hopefully yes, I want to play in Rio.”

Matt STUTZMAN (USA) - silver On inspiring a generation of young people:
“My goal was to inspire somebody, even if it was just one person, with my positive attitude. Never say never. If I can do this, with no arms, anything is possible. I have enjoyed every minute of it. It makes me want to try harder in 2016.”

On what he needs to work on:
“The one arrow is definitely something I'm going to have to practise (the pressure of one arrow making the difference between winning and losing). It's a big deciding factor. I did my best and I put it all out there.”

On USA winning archery gold and silver:
“I hope that America are proud of me as well (as Jeff FABRY, who won gold in the men's compound W1).”

On it 'taking perfection' to beat Matt STUTZMAN (according to the commentator on Sunday):
“I can live with that.

On the match:
“I was at peace. I shot my shots and it felt good. Whatever happened, I was OK with. He's a great shooter (Jere FOSBERG, FIN) and I'm satisfied with the silver.

Dogan HANCI (TUR) - bronze On winning a medal:
“I did what I said I would do. For me and my country and my flag, a medal was very important. I'm going to be up on the podium so everything is great.”

On the significance of this victory:
“This is the most important so far. Out of 80 people qualifying, eight got through and I'm in the top three.”

Guillermo RODRIGUEZ GONZALEZ (ESP) – 4th On his performance:
“It's a pity I didn't have the opportunity to do practice shots. The condition of my equipment is altered by hot temperature. There wasn't time to adjust my equipment before the bronze medal match. I didn't expect to play the bronze medal contest so quickly like that.”

On participating at the London 2012 Paralympic Games:
“It's an unforgettable experience to participate, especially at my age (52), playing against the best archers in the world.”

Compound Men W1
Jeff FABRY (USA) – gold On dropping his bow, it breaking and him missing the third set of the semifinal to retrieve his second bow:
“On the follow-through (from the last shot of second set) the bow slipped out of my hand. As soon as the cam (the pully device) hit the ground, the strings went. I normally do have a second bow and I always bring it with me, but I had left it in the tent and I didn't know if they (the officials) were going to give me the time.”

On what he told himself going into the fourth set of the semifinal, after breaking his bow:
“Just make strong shots and let everything happen as it happens. That's about as much excitement as I want to have. I'm just happy to get through that match.”

On whether he thought his chances of a gold medal were lost after breaking his bow in the semifinal:
“Honestly, no. I was fortunate that I went and got my back-up bow, which I should have had on me in the first place. It's never happened to me before.”

On how that affected his semifinal opponent Norbert MURPHY (CAN):
“I'm not going to speak for my opponent, he just went out and did the best that he could.”

On his gold medal-winning shot, scoring the maximum 10:
“Any time you close it out with a 10, in the middle (of the target), it's all good.”

On whether he had an edge over opponent David DRAHONINSKY (CZE):
“I don't think I had an edge, it's where the arrow impacts, that's it.”

On whether winning gold will change his life:
“It won't change my life so much. I have achieved another step on the archery platform. Winning gold has taken me three (Paralympic) Games so I'm proud as hell (FABRY won bronze in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008). Words can't describe it.”

On why people should take up archery:
“It's something anyone can do. It's about having a lot of (mental) strength - that's what this sport is all about. You use your brain. About 90% of archery is that. So it's a great sport to play.”

David DRAHONINSKY (CZE) - silver On losing his Paralympic title to Jeff FABRY (USA):
“This time I have let Jeff have his gold. He deserves it. He shot better than me in the final. But it is only on loan, who knows what will happen in four years' time (at Rio 2016).”

On his performance:
“I didn't shoot as well as I did in the semifinal and it's just what happens on the day.”

On winning silver rather than gold:
“I'm glad to have won a silver medal, but I came here to London to take gold again. I came here for the gold medal, so silver has to be a disappointment.”

On the rule on the use of spirit levels being changed to allow their inclusion:
“I noticed the American (Matt STUTZMAN, USA) was using one and that would have helped him.”

Norbert MURPHY (CAN) – bronze On his performance:
“I came here hoping to medal and I don't think I've ever shot better.”

On his new equipment aiding his performance:
“I put that down to my new equipment that I've used in this event for the first time. It enables me to shoot over 70 metres but I'm still breaking it in.”

On Jeff FABRY (USA) breaking his bow and missing a set in their semifinal, which FABRY went on to win:
“The incident with Jeff FABRY in the semifinal distracted us both. In many ways it's worse for the opponent than it is for the competitor. I was so concerned for him, I even offered him my spare bow. It's the first time this has ever happened in a competition I have ever been involved in and it happens to me in the Paralympics semifinals. I guess you could call that Murphy's law.”

On what he would like to say to Jeff FABRY (USA):
“Next time, please bring two bows into the competition.”

On winning a medal for Canada:
“Archery is not a big sport in Canada, so it's great to win a medal. Great for me and great for Canadian archery.”

Osmo KINNUNEN (FIN) – 4th On his defeat:
“I lost my strength in the semifinal. It was so hard to bounce back. I struggled all the time. I just had too many 7s.”

On the London 2012 Paralympics:
“It's wonderful to be here - it will be my last time competing at a Paralympics. At venues like this you need to shoot yellows to win. It's difficult to say what happened in that performance as my performance wasn't my usual.

On his career:
“I've done this (archery) since 1986. It's a very long time. I have competed at the international level since 2001. I have got many medals – 10 of them.
On teammate Jere FORSBERG (FIN):
“FORSBERG is fantastic. Guys like him are very important for Finnish archery. I admire him.”

Source: PNS
Edited by World Archery Communication