Quotes of the women individual medallists

Recurve Women Standing
YAN Huilian (CHN) - Gold
On coming back after losing the first set of the semifinal:
“I started very nervously and badly but after the first set I adapted to the conditions and the competition much better.”

On winning China's first archery gold medal at the London 2012 Paralympic Games:
“It is a very good feeling to win the gold and to beat a true champion in LEE Hwa Sook of Korea. I'm very proud and happy to win the first gold medal for China in archery, although a little sorry for my teammates who haven't won medals.”

On China winning two medals in the finals:
“It has been a very good day for China, with our bronze medal as well (LI Jinzhi won bronze in the women's recurve W1/W2). The medal is very heavy, but I am delighted to have it.”

LEE Hwa Sook (KOR) – Silver
On not expecting to win a medal:
“I have a gold from Beijing (2008) and now I have silver in London, I'm delighted. I did not expect to get any medals.”

On whether she was disappointed not to win gold:
“No, I'm not disappointed at all. In Korea, I was not training well so I had no expectation to get any medals, but when I came to London and started training I became a bit more confident. I played well after this. I don't need the gold medal, I'm so delighted.”

On scoring zero with one arrow after not shooting within the 20-second time limit in the third set:
“I feel uncomfortable if I pick up the bow early, so I was going to pick it up when there was 10 seconds left, but I couldn't make it (because of nerves) and I picked it up when there was less than 10 seconds left (so ran out of time).”

On benefiting from the sets-based shooting system:
“I got some benefit from it because although I missed one shot I was able to catch up.”

Milena OLSZEWSKA (POL) – Bronze
On why she was crying after the match:
“My tears are of happiness and relief. It's my best result ever and hopefully not my last.”

On the match:
“There was a lot of stress at the beginning, but it got easier as the match went on.”

On her family:
“My family is waiting in Poland, but I'm going to call them now with the good news.”

Javzmaa BYAMBASUREN (MGL) - Fourth
On her performance:
“Today's shooting was not of my normal standard. Maybe I haven't given everything I had, but I tried my best. We will now try and qualify for Rio and start to prepare for those preliminaries from now.”

On her supporters:
“I thank everyone for all the support I have received here, I did my best.”


Recurve Women W1/W2
Zahra NEMATI (IRI) - Gold
On winning gold:
“I'm congratulating myself for getting a gold. I want to thank everyone who has helped me, they gave me so much energy. The final is a difficult match but I got through it because I could hear the Iranian supporters cheering for me.”

Elisabetta MIJNO (ITA) – Silver
On winning silver:
“I'm satisfied with silver, it's fine the result. I had a good feeling throughout this competition and in the last few years (Zahra) NEMATI (IRI) has been the top-ranked archer in my category, so I am glad it was so close. It's my second Paralympic Games and my first medal, so I'm very pleased and we (Italy) hope to do well in the team competition (on Wednesday).”

LI Jinzi (CHN) – Bronze
On winning bronze:
“This is so important to me because four years ago I saw Chinese athletes win in Beijing (2008) so my dream was to raise my national flag. It's a pity to just win a bronze, but it means I have something to aim for in Rio (2016).”

On her coach:
“I couldn't have done it without my coach (WANG Yanhung, CHN). He's been with me since I started archery at university.”

Veronica FLORENO (ITA) – Fourth
On her defeat 0-6 to Zahra NEMATI (IRI) in the semifinal:
“To be honest I enjoyed the match because she (Zahra NEMATI, ITI) is one of the best archers in the world, but I wasn't happy with my performance, I didn't play well. I played better in the previous matches.”

On her performance:
“I feel happy with the competition as a whole, but I feel a bit disappointed because of my last arrow (which scored 6). It was 8 (points) to draw and 9 to win, but I didn't get either of them. I was very close to the bronze medal, but I lost my focus on my last arrow. Life is like this - sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.”

On getting further in the competition that she anticipated:
“This is my first Paralympic Games and I am happy to get to the semifinals. I really didn't expect to be in fourth position in the Paralympics. It was not easy to get through to the semifinal stages. I really wanted the bronze medal, but overall it's good experience.”


Compound Women Open
Danielle BROWN (GBR) - Gold
On mentally preparing since winning gold at Beijing 2008:
“The past four years have been difficult because it's much more important to concentrate on my training rather than the possibility of a medal.”

On winning in the final set:
“I started off on the last set with a good arrow, so Mel (CLARKE, GBR) had to play catch-up, needing a 10 to win, and she didn't quite make it.”

On able-bodied versus the Paralympics:
“I've done lots of able-bodied before but the Paralympics is better. It's much more friendly."

On defending her Paralympic title:
“Defending the title has been crazy because you're under so much pressure, especially the last couple of weeks.”

On the huge publicity she has received:
“Channel 4 has done a great job in raising the profile of the Paralympics. Before Beijing I'd only done two interviews. Now I've done loads, appeared in commercials - all sorts of stuff. It's great for the sport.”

On future competitions:
“I'm not going to switch to recurve, I like the compound. For me, the more competitions the better. Able-bodied as well as Paralympics.”

On going back to the law (BROWN completed a law degree in 2011):
“I'm certainly not going to do that, I much prefer this.”

On winning in Beijing compared with London 2012:
“London is much better than Beijing. The whole tournament and me being able to win a gold in front of my whole family has been marvellous.”

On competing against teammate, Mel CLARKE:
“I don't regard it as competing against Mel, I just compete against myself and that way I can concentrate more.”

On her bow:
“I'm still using a three-year-old bow. I try lots of others but this works for me.”

On what she plans to do now competition is over:
“I'm meeting my parents tonight and I can now start enjoying myself.”

Mel CLARKE (GBR) – Silver
On winning silver:
“A silver is unreal. It's fantastic for me. If I was going to get beaten in the Paralympics final, there's nobody I'd rather get beaten by than Danielle (BROWN).”

On performing in front of a home crowd:
“The whole crowd was behind us and lifted us tremendously but I think we were both nervous at times and fired a few loose arrows.”

On her performance:
“Certainly my last arrow could have been better but I'm not too disappointed. I shot my very best in the semifinal and could only reproduce it in patches in the final, but I still shot five 10s and I was feeling good throughout.”

On preparing for Rio 2016:
“I owe a lot to my coach (Greig MIDDLETON, GBR) and my family, and all the people who have supported me and now I am preparing for Rio in four years' time. I've got it in my sights and it would be nice to complete the set, now that I have silver and bronze (won in Beijing).”

Stepanida ARTAKHINOVA (RUS) – Bronze
On having to play the bronze-medal match immediately after her semifinal:
“It was OK because I had a good five minutes to pull myself together and prepare to play my compatriot. However against the British competitor (Mel CLARKE) I was maybe not fully concentrating and that was why I lost.”

On how difficult it was to play teammate Marina LYZHNIKOVA:
“It wasn't that difficult. Even when I was shooting against the British girl (CLARKE) I was sure that I would be good enough to get the bronze anyway.”

On expectations for Rio 2016:
“When and if I get to Rio I will try to punish them (Mel CLARKE and Danielle BROWN, GBR). I was hoping to get the gold here but the very fact I didn't get the gold gives me extra motivation I wouldn't have had for Rio, if I had won.”

Marina LYZHNIKOVA (RUS) – Fourth
On playing against her teammate Stepanida ARTAKHINOVA:
“We train together every day, playing her is nothing new. She does win more times in training. It's a nightmare to play with her in the bronze-medal contest. I thought at least one of us would go through to the final.”

On the London 2012 Paralympic Games:
“I like this competition in London. The atmosphere, venue, commentating, are perfect. Every single thing is absolutely perfect and Gamesmakers were very friendly as well.”

On competing in Rio 2016:
“Sure, I will compete in Rio. I will train hard to get a medal.”

Source: PNS
Edited by World Archery Communication

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