Boari, Andreoli and Landi secure 1st Italian medal of 2019 World Cup

Italy’s Lucilla Boari, Tatiana Andreoli and Vanessa Landi will shoot for the recurve women’s team gold medal at the first stage of the 2019 Hyundai Archery World Cup against the world number one, Korea, represented by Chang Hye Jin, Choi Misun and Kang Chae Young.

“We feel really good, we are a good team and we’ve been working hard,” said Andreoli. “To start the year like this, with the world championships as the main qualification event for the Olympics later on, is special.”

Seeded seventh with a combined score of 1908 points, the Italian ladies beat Chile in straight sets, 6-0, upset second seed China, 5-3 – and then defeated Spain in a semifinal shoot-off, 27 to 26.

Despite facing the de facto best team in the world, these young women fear nothing.

“We are sure against Korea it will be a good match. We know that they are very strong, but we have nothing to lose,” added Boari.

Medellin marks the first podium for an Italian recurve women’s team on the Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit since 2016, when the nation collected bronze in Antalya. Their finish here will be better – but just how much better, we’ll have to wait until the Sunday.

Korea cruised through the eliminations, beating the USA 5-1 in the quarterfinals and then France in straight sets, 6-0.

Competition at the first stage of the 2019 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Medellin, Colombia runs until Sunday 28 April.