2010 WUC Archery Update: Finals

SHENZHEN – The first finals from the WUC Archery took place in the big Shenzhen stadium under perfect conditions: it was sunny, quite humid but there was no blowing wind to disturb the best university archers. The level of the competitions has been quite high and if you could be any doubt about this just look at the final of the ladies individual compound: the second archer of the event in the world Erika Anscutz has only finished 3rd of a competition won by the Iranian Halilmian Avval Seyedeh Vida.

The final of the men’s competition in the same event was just thrilling as the two Americans finalists Adan Gallant, the winner, and Daniel Wido were adding perfect bows and had to go to the final tiebreak. The bronze medal went to the Salvadorian Hernandez Roberto who was really impressive in his last game.

Men’s Podium CompoundWhen you say the word archery, you think Korea: gold and bronze in the women’s individual recurve with Eun Jae Jo and Ye Seul Kim and gold and silver in the same men’s event for Seong Hoon Kim and Jae Wang Jin. As the archery fans will tell you: do not walk with a yellow T-shirt (this is the color of the middle of the target) in an archery venue, you will be hit by a Korean arrow!
Today, September 26th, the last day of competitions the six team finals and the Closing Ceremony took place.

Six finals were at the agenda of the last day of competitions of a very successful 8^th World University Archery Championship in Shenzhen.

Compound is a real American tradition in the United States where many competitions with some good prize money are organized every year and the least we can say is that the US University team has confirmed this assertion. Three team finals in compound and three US gold medals: The mixed team with Erika Anschutz and Adam Gallant, the women’s team with Erika Anschutz, Lindsay Christensen and Samantha Neal, the men’s team with Adam Gallant, Steve Gatto and Daniel Wido have relegated respectively Iran and Finland, Iran and Korea, Italy and Belgium on the lower steps of the podium.

Recurve team competition was in counter not the specialty of Uncle Sam’s representatives who did not grab any podium places. Mix team competition saw the victory after a thrilling tie break of Pia Lionetti and Mauro Nespoli from Italy on Japan, Chinese Taipei becoming third. The women’s competition was for the unbeatable threesome of Korean Eun Jo, Ye Seul Kim and Kyung Joo Lee, the silver for Chinese Taipei and the bronze for Japan. The men’s competition went to the Japanese Taichi Banno, Yoshitaka Nishimura and Hiroki Suetake, Korea and Italy were also on this podium.

The WUC Archery could finish with a very convivial Closing Ceremony and the archers will go back to their home country with great memories of this above usual standards championship. This real test event for the forthcoming Summer Universiade will be more than useful for the organizers, lessons will be learned and the success of the event will give the necessary confidence to achieve the Big Event in August.