Santo Domingo - 5 April 2009
Team USA comes home with a total of seven medals from the first World Cup competition of the year in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, including a sweep in the Compound Women's division. For complete results, see FITA's website at http://www.archery.org/content.asp?id=3654&me_id=2356. USA Archery would like to thank Easton Foundation for providing the travel funding for the team, Nike for the apparel and Hoyt and Easton for supplying our U.S. Archery Teams with the equipment. Thank you and congratulations.
Review of matches courtesy of FITA Communications:
Recurve Men Bronze Medal Team - United States (USA) vs Mexico (MEX)
The Mexicans LASTRA, SERRANO and VELEZ SANCHEZ beat Cuba after a shoot-off in quarterfinal (211-211/27-25) before losing to Great Britain in semi-final (217-219). For their part, the Americans ELLISON, JOHNSON and WUKIE had a win over Italy (219-214) and a loss to India (215-219). The two teams were tied at the half-way mark (110-110), but with four 10s in the third end, the Americans managed to take a 2-point lead with only six arrows to go. Eventually, the Mexicans could not recover in the last end, shooting an 8 while their opponents proved more consistent with five 9s. The bronze medal therefore went to the Americans on the final score of 222-220.
Compound Men Gold Medal Team - United States (USA) vs Canada (CAN)
On their way to the gold final, the no. 1 GELLENTHIEN, L. WILDE and R. WILDE comfortably defeated Puerto Rico (224-217) and then Mexico (228-219). For their part, the Canadian team-with PARENTEAU, TATARYN and reigning world champion TRILLUS-first beat Colombia (231-217) and then El Salvador (228-225). The two teams were very close to each other. Despite a 7 at their sixth arrow, the Canadians managed to remain tied with their neighbors from the United States. The score was 116-116 at the half-way mark. Very solid shooting by the two teams in this match! Except for one in the first end, all arrows hit the yellow ring (10 or 9 points). Decision was made when Canada scored an 8 in the first part of the last end. This offered GELLENTHIEN and the WILDE brothers an opening into which they ran and clinched gold 234-231.
Compound Women Gold Medal Team- United States (USA) vs Venezuela (VEN)
To qualify for the gold medal match, the no. 1 seeded team, USA, had a bye in the first eliminations round. LORENTI, VAN NATTA and WATSON then defeated India (225-220) in semi-final. For their part, GONZALEZ, A. OCHOA and L. OCHOA from Mexico (no. 3) beat Puerto Rico (220-210) and Venezuela (218-212) in quarter and semi-final, respectively. After six arrows, the favorite Americans suffered from a 6 by WATSON and trailed by three points at 53-57. However, they could recover and even take the lead by one point with only one end to go (169-168), profiting from three 8s by Mexico. With a spectacular 10-10-10 final arrows series, the 2008 World Cup winner VAN NATTA and her teammates proved they really were the no. 1 in compound women, clinching the gold medal 227-225.
Compound Men Gold Medal Individual - Braden GELLENTHIEN (USA) vs Patrizio HOFER (SUI)
The American and the Swiss are experienced archers and are always very close to each other. GELLENTHIEN is 5th in the world while HOFER is 7th. The former was seeded no. 8 in Santo Domingo whereas the latter was no. 7. They had already faced each other twice with two victories for the American two years ago at the world championships in Germany and at the World Cup in Turkey. Despite taking the best start and a 2-point lead at the half-way mark (57-55). The score was tied at 84 points each with only three arrows to go. In the last end, GELLENTHIEN shot two 10s and a 9 to clinch a third victory in his head-to-head confrontation with HOFER (113-112).
Compound Women Gold Medal Individual - Brittany LORENTI (USA) vs Jamie VAN NATTA (USA)
VAN NATTA is the reigning World Cup winner after her victory in the Grand Final in Lausanne last September. She is the no. 1 in the world and the no. 1 seed here in Santo Domingo. She entered the gold medal match as the favorite. In the semi-final, she easily defeated her teammate WATSON 115-105. LORENTI is 45th in the world ranking and was seeded no. 7 in Santo Domingo. This first stage of the year was her first World Cup participation. In the previous round, she beat the Venezuelan BOSCH 111-108. The 22-year old LORENTI had a perfect start in the match, leading 30-28 after three arrows and putting pressure on her experienced opponent. She managed to keep her 2-point lead after the second (57-55) and third end (83-81). While VAN NATTA scored 8-7-10 in the last end, LORENTI shot two 10s and a 9 to clinch her first gold World Cup medal.
Bronze Medal - Diane WATSON (USA) vs Olga BOSCH (VEN)
The Venezuelan BOSCH was seeded no. 3 after the qualifications and is no. 66 in the world. She suffered defeat in semi-final against the no. 1 seed and 2008 World Cup winner VAN NATTA (USA). It was only the second international tournament for the American WATSON. Her first World Cup appearance was last year here in Santo Domingo and she ranked 20th. No. 66 in the world ranking and seeded no. 4 here, she only was defeated by her teammate LORENTI in the semi-final round. The two competitors never met before, so this match was expected to be quite close. Indeed, the score was tied at the half-way mark at 57-57. Then WATSON took a 1-point lead with only three arrows to go (86-85). She finished with a perfect 30-point last end and clinched the bronze medal over BOSCH.
Team USA Individual results:
Recurve Men:
Victor Wunderle 12
Brady Ellison 17
Jacob Wukie 23
Butch Johnson 27
Recurve Women:
Khatuna Lorig 24
Lori Cieslinski 30
Megan Carter 31
Compound Men:
Braden Gellenthien 1
Reo Wilde 5
Logan Wilde 10
Dave Cousins 17
Compound Women:
Brittany Lorenti 1
Jamie Van Natta 2
Diane Watson 3
Erika Anschutz 8
< Back to All News
