Jake Kaminski (CA), Jennifer Nichols (TX), Jesse Broadwater (PA) and Erika Anschutz (OH) all have one thing in common: they ended yesterday in the first-place position, and never looked back, shooting well enough to qualify first and become the 2010 National Champions for their classes at the conclusion of the FITA round at National Target Championships. Exceptionally high temperatures and strong wind gusts proved challenging for the archers, but today's scores reflected strong shooting from the country's top archers.
Kaminski started out strong at 50 meters, shooting a solid 335, while Olympians Brady Ellison (CA) and Butch Johnson (CT) shot 333 and 327, respectively. Though Ellison and Johnson both outscored the 20 year old Resident Athlete at the 30 meter distance with a 351 and a 349, it wasn't enough to edge Kaminski out of the top spot. Kaminski ultimately qualified first, becoming the National Champion for men's recurve with a 1345 overall, followed by Ellison with a 1337 and Johnson, who shot a 1320. For the junior recurve men, there was movement in their ranks throughout the day, but Josh Smith (CA) ultimately clinched the National Championship in the junior men's recurve division with a 1292, followed by Peter Kelchner (CA), who shot a 1279, and Matthew Zumbo (CA) with his 1275.
On the women's side of the field, Olympian Khatuna Lorig (CA) and Hye-Youn Park (CA) both started out strong at 50 meters, outscoring Nichols with 324 and 319, respectively; however, both Nichols and Park brought their A-game to the 30 meter distance, shooting matching 351's to Lorig's 337. By day's end, Nichols posted a strong overall score of 1343 to become the senior women's recurve National Champion, followed by Lorig in second place with a 1325, and Park third with a 1319. For the junior women, Youth Olympic Games team member and Easton JOAD Nationals Grand Champion Miranda Leek (IA) took her second National Championship title of 2010, shooting a 1279; Nien-Hsiu Yank (TPE) also shot a 1279, but Leek led the junior women's recurve class with the highest X count. Michelle Gilbert (MD) qualified third, shooting a 1246.
The competition became close in the men's compound group; though Broadwater never relinquished the number one spot, both Darrin Christenberry (IN) and Braden Gellenthien (VA) shot well enough to cause some movement in the group. Broadwater and Gellenthien shot a pair of 351's at 50 meters to Christenberry's 347, and a pair of 358's at 30 meters to Christenberry's 356; however, strong shooting at the long distances from Broadwater (1403) and Christenberry (1396) earned them the top two spots, and the second consecutive National Championship win for Broadwater, followed by Gellenthien in third with his 1393. Garrett Abernathy (SC) continued to lead the junior compound men today, finishing on top and becoming National Champion for his division with an overall score of 1352; Henry Bass (UT) qualified second with a 1349, and Adam Gallant (ME) held third with a 1344.
Christie Colin (NY), yesterday's second-ranked archer in the compound women's class, began the day well, shooting a strong 342 at 50 meters to lead at that distance, followed by Jamie Van Natta (OH) with a 337 and Anschutz with her 337. Colin and Van Natta also led the scoring at 30 meters, shooting 358 and 354 respectively, though it wasn't enough to move Anschutz out of the top position. Thanks to solid shooting at her long distances yesterday, Anschutz qualified first and clinched the National Championship, shooting a 1385 overall, followed by Colin in second with a 1384, and Van Natta with a 1379.
Also competing today were archers from the master 50, 60 and 70 divisions in both recurve and compound, as well as compound fingers and barebow archers. On the youth field, cadets, cubs and bowmen all began their tournament today, shooting their two longer distances. Youth archers will score their shorter distances tomorrow; archers in the senior and master divisions will compete in the US Open.
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