2008 WUC Archery: Day 4
July 12th, 2008
Three-peat for Chinese Taipei Archers
The Academic Round used in FISU for the Archery team competitions is something different. Using a Hit/Miss target face and shooting at 70 m using the same format (number of arrows and time for the ends) as in the regular FITA Team competition, this round is always much more exciting and fun to shot and observe than any other archery round I have seen. From the very beginning, the teams shoot in a “noisy” atmosphere, as friends, teammates and fans were cheering and supporting their own teams during the competition. The atmosphere was contagious and motivating. When asking to the archers, most of them agree in one thing, “Team competition is the funniest one”… and they “love to shoot in the team”. The hit miss concept is also welcomed. The best teams still win, but the intensity of the match remains until the last arrows, as the differences are not as high as when using the regular target faces with 10 to 1 point. Any team not leading the match has the opportunity to come back with only a few hits. Definitively is a good formula, which needs to be improved for future major events, but is already a good success.
The weather was cloudy and humid… very humid again (89 %). It was raining at night and the field was wet. Of course, the humidity was hitting the archers from the top… and from the bottom. But at least, it was not too windy, just a bit. And…. what happened with the competition? In Compound Men the leading and favorite team, USA, was beaten by ITA in ¼ finals: 22 hits to 21. It was an intensive match from the beginning until the very last arrow. Having “removed” USA from the competition, Italy felt that the Gold was for them…. But this is the excitement of the Academic Round. Nobody counted with Mexico, the team number 3 in the Qualification. The Mexicans progressed in the competition with not easy matches at all. In ¼ finals they tied with Malaysia with 19 hits. After 2 shoot-off, Mexico won by one single hit (2-3). In ½ finals they met with France. Again this was a hard match, where France lost by one single hit: 21 to 22. So, Mexico was in the finals fighting for the Gold and against Italy. And Mexico loves “gold”! So, they completed a great round finishing 18 hit against 16 from Italy. Mexico Gold and Italy Silver. For Bronze, Belgium defeated France 21 to 20 hits). It is clear that no one match of this division was a “joke”. Great matches all of them! Fantastic!
In Compound Women we had “only” 6 teams. But Korea and USA were the favorites to meet in the final. Here again the competition was a surprise. Korea arrived to the finals with 23 hits against ITA (FISU World Record). But USA lost against Russia 22 to 20 hits in Semifinals. So the “USA girls” had to go for the bronze. They got it defeating Italy in the Bronze medal match 23 hits against 14. The brave USA archers didn’t want to have more surprises. They wanted the medal! In the gold match we saw again an exciting shoot of. After the 24 arrows shot, Russia and Korea tied 21 to 21. First 3 arrows to break the tie ended in 3-3. Still equal! Second end of 3 arrows and again 3-3. The last shoot-off has to be broken measuring the closest arrow to the center if the score of both team is tied. And this was the case! 2-2. So, the judges needed to make an accurate measurement and the best arrow of Korea was closer to the center than the closest of Russia. Korea got the gold by “millimeters” and celebrated it with all the team, coaches and officials present in the Field. It could not have been a better final. 3 shoot-offs and the suspense to know what arrow was closer. Amazing!
In Recurve men, and after the level showed in the qualification round, the final expected was TPE against KOR. No surprises here. Both teams met in the Gold medal match. Only Korea had a bit of difficulties in Semi-finals against Spain, as they won just by one point in the last arrow during a tough match (16-15). But TPE went to the final without “sweating” at all. The final was always open to any of the teams until the end of the 24 arrows, when TPE managed to have one more hit than KOR. 19 to 18. The celebration was “total” among the volunteers, media present (in a high number) and organizers. Archery and this World University Archery Championships were going to be present in the news in the whole country. TPE team winning in their own country and against Korea! Sweet victory! For the Bronze, Poland faced Spain… and in order to not disappoint the spectators, both tied after the end of their 24 arrows (17 to 17). One end for breaking the shoot-off and … 3-3. Second end of shoot-off and 2-2. So, again it was necessary to go to the third end and measuring the arrow if the score would be tied. Indeed it was: 3-3 and … Poland got the closest arrow to the center. Poland Bronze and Spain 4th.
In Recurve Women… what could we expect? Korea to the final? Korea for the Gold? Yep! Korea landed in the Gold medal match beating all their opponents with clear superiority. And in the final they met Russia who beat Germany (3rd) in the ¼ finals after a 2 ends shoot-off (12-12, 3-3, 1-0) ….and then used their motivation against TPE beating them 16-11. The match of Russia against Korea had no story at all. 16 to 10 … with Korea leading since the first arrows. But the intensity of the Recurve Women final had to come in the Bronze medal match. After shooting all their arrows, Japan, who eliminated Poland (12-11) and lost in ½ finals against Korea, tied 14 hits to 14 against Chinese Taipei. After 2 shoot-offs, Japan got the Bronze. Well deserved!
What a day of intensity… but the day was not over yet. The Mixed team competition just started. The best female and male archer made the team in Recurve and in Compound division. The first 8 teams in both divisions went to the elimination phase (1/4 finals). The competition and format was well received by everybody. It is “FUN”! It is “intense”! It is “different”. Of course, using again the same Hit/miss target face. In Recurve division, Malaysia met Chinese Taipei for the gold. The “couple” of Malaysia was shooting really well. But they could not beat in the last moment the strong team of Chinese Taipei. The match ended 9 -7. That was the score. For the bronze medal, Spain met Japan and this time, Spain didn’t want to get a 4th place again (one in individual and one in teams) and defeated Japan 10 to 7 hits.
In Compound Mixed teams, everybody was expecting USA against Korea… but no, Russia wanted to have a change to get their gold medal and found the right moment to try it in the mixed team Compound. After their 16 arrows, the scoreboards showed 15 to 15. So, more intensity to come. In the shoot-off USA won 2 hits again 1. USA was the leading team at the beginning of the week, and ended the competition showing their skills and accuracy. They took the gold! The competition was interrupted a couple of times because of heavy rain (“shower” called in this part of the world). But this didn’t decrease the level of the matches and the excellent atmosphere of competition, fair sportsmanship and friendship we enjoyed the entire day of the Team matches… and during the entire week. Encouraging!
The Championship was closed with the medal ceremonies and the Organizers did a good job delivering very good championships in difficult weather conditions. The next meeting of the University archers will be at the Universiades in Belgrade in 2009. See you all there! - J.C. Holgado
Medal Podium Compound Women's Team
Medal Podium Compound Mixed Team
Medal Podium Recurve Mixed Team
Medal Podium Recurve Men's Team
Medal Podium Recurve Women's Team
