PARIS, France – It was a gold and silver Saturday for Team USA at the World Cup Stage #4 as the compound mixed team and compound men’s team events were determined in the French capital.
Kris Schaff was involved in both, starting with the men’s team gold medal match alongside James Lutz and Sawyer Sullivan. The USA started strong with a maximum 60, only for India to draw level after the second end. Both teams fired a combined 58 next end, with the difference in score being the final set of arrows as India won 236-232.
Moments after the medal ceremony, Schaff was back out to partner Alexis Ruiz in the compound mixed team gold medal match, in which they faced Puerto Rico. In difficult, damp conditions, they led from the off, eventually winning 158-156.
“Our match was really close the entire way through,” said Ruiz. “I’m just glad that we shot strong enough to come out with the win.”
Both Ruiz and Schaff will compete at the 139th USA Archery Target Nationals and U.S. Open at the end of the month. They will also be part of the USA team heading to Santiago, Chile in October for the Pan American Games.
Compound was first included in the continental multi-sport event four years ago in Lima, Peru, involving individual and mixed team competition This year, men’s and women’s team events will be on show for the first time.
Schaff commented, “Having compound in the Pan American is a big thing. And coming off Alexis winning the World Championship with Sawyer (in the compound mixed team), and then coming in here and winning this mixed team, it’s a big head of steam going into the Pan American Games.”
The Pan American Games take place from October 20-November 5.
World Cup Stage #4 concludes on Sunday with recurve medals decided. Casey Kaufhold faces Choi Misun (KOR) in the semifinal of the recurve women. The winner will meet either Lisa Barbelin (FRA) or or Hai Ligan (CHN) for gold.
The weekend’s matches are all being played on the site for next year’s Olympic Games, Les Invalides. Qualification and earlier elimination matches took place inside Charléty Stadium.
