Showing the world once again why the United States is so dominant in competitive compound shooting, both the women's and men's compound teams claimed World Archery Championship team titles today, and individual archers shot their way to silver and bronze medals.
In the women's team gold medal match, the U.S. archers Jamie Van Natta (Toledo, OH), Erika Anschutz (Dumas, TX) and Christie Colin (Ransomville, NY) faced the team from Iran. The two teams, having met three times in the past twelve months for gold at World Cup Stages, were evenly matched in a tough contest. However, the U.S. team opened with 57s in the first two ends, following with a 59 and 58, to deliver a gold medal winning score of 231-223. In the bronze medal match, Venezuela took the medal with a 220-215 win over Mexico.
The team of Reo Wilde (Pocatello, ID), Jesse Broadwater (Jennerstown, PA) and Braden Gellenthien (Woodbridge, VA) took to the field next, following the bronze medal match in which Canada took their contest against Korea, 230-224. In the gold medal match, the United States met Denmark, looking for the World Championship title. The team of Wilde, Broadwater and Gellenthien began with a perfect 60 to Denmark's 58, and never looked back. Though they dropped a point in the second end, the U.S. team amassed a 239 to win the gold medal and match their own World Record score shot earlier in the week.
In the individual matches, Anschutz met reigning World Champion Albina Loginova (RUS) in the semifinal. Loginova took an initial three point lead after the first end, and though Anschutz shot well enough to narrow the gap, she was unable to overcome her opponent. Anschutz secured a spot in the bronze medal match versus Iran's Parsamehr Mahtab, while Loginova shot against Pascale Lebecque (FRA) for gold.
Anschutz was strong in the bronze medal match, starting with a one point lead and methodically increasing it to a 140-135 score versus Mahtab, winning her second medal of the day for the United States. In the gold medal match, Loginova took her second consecutive World Archery Championships title with a 114-140 win over silver medalist Lebecque.
In his own semifinal, Wilde was matched with Christopher Perkins (CAN), just eighteen years old and a rising star on the international circuit. Wilde began with a 30-29 lead, but Perkins quickly recovered from the deficit and begain gaining, one point at a time. In the final end, Wilde shot a perfect 30, but it was not enough to regain the lead, and Perkins advanced to the gold medal match, 148-147.
Next was U.S. teammate Broadwater's own semifinal match, in which he faced Gabriel Badenhorst (RSA). Badenhorst opened with an lead of one point; however, Broadwater recovered quickly enough to gain the advantage after two ends, 89-87. Keeping that momentum, Broadwater took the match, finishing with a 147-145 win that secured his spot in the gold medal final.
Shooting for the bronze medal, Wilde and Badenhorst both began with 30s on the first end; however, Badenhorst dropped seven points over the remaining ends, while Wilde stayed within the ten, not losing a point until the last end. With a 149 to Badenhorst's 142, Wilde clinched the bronze medal for the United States. In the gold medal match, Broadwater met Perkins, who took a one point lead in the second end, 60-59, and increased it 90-88 after the third. Though Broadwater was able to tie the score heading into the final end, he was not able to stop Perkins, who took the gold medal, while Broadwater won the silver.
Tomorrow, Team USA's Brady Ellison, the number one ranked recurve archer in the world, will face Korea's Woojin Kim in the semifinals, and continue his hunt for gold. USA Archery will continue Twitter coverage beginning with Ellison's match at 8:15 a.m. ET Sunday.
Team USA is being supported by a full staff at this event, including National Head Coach KiSik Lee, USA Archery Resident Athlete Administrator/Assistant Coach Guy Krueger, Coach Michael Usherenko, Coach Mel Nichols, and Team Leader Cindy Bevilacqua. USA Archery thanks the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Easton Foundations for their support of the U.S. teams at this event.
According to World Archery, more than 600 archers from close to 90 countries have been shooting for world titles, medals and Olympic berths at the World Archery Championships this week. For complete results from today's matches, visit http://www.archery.org. USA Archery will be tweeting results, quotes and other updates live throughout the finals this weekend; follow "usaarchery" on Twitter and "like" us on Facebook to join in the excitement of the World Archery Championships!
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