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Arreola continues to shine as USA guarantees at least two compound medals

15 juin 2023

Medellin, Colombia

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Liko Arreola and Sarah Prieels into final four at Medellin 2023.

Liko Arreola’s dream international debut continued as she stormed into the compound final fours at the third stage of the 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup where Sara Lopez will continue her bid for a 12th career stage win.

On the men’s side, Luccas Abreu can be the first Brazilian in 15 years to reach the compound final.

Having already helped USA to the team final, 15-year-old Arreola beat world number five Lisell Jaatma, who had previously knocked out top seed Aditi Gopichand Swami, to progress to Saturday’s semifinals where she will take on Sarah Prieels.

“I feel good, but overall, I have some things to work out on,” said a modest Arreola. “It wasn’t as clean as I wanted to which made my shots kind of sporadic but throughout some of the shots I figured it out, but I still need a lot practice.”

“This is my first time in a World Cup and it’s really stressful, but it’s really fun at the same time.”

Nick Kappers and James Lutz will face each other in the semifinals.

Arreola’s potential final opponent Lopez is determined to get past former world number one Alexis Ruiz and win on home soil to mark the 10-year anniversary of the first World Cup stage in Medellin.

“I am very happy because in addition to the 10 years of the Medellin World Cup, just today 10 years ago I won the World Cup in Turkey where my life changed completely and I realised that my new goal was to be a professional,” said Lopez.

“For me it is wonderful to be able to honour those 10 years of sacrifice and hard work.”

There was to be no second successive World Cup medal for world number one Ella Gibson after the ‘frustrated’ Brit exited in the third round against Ruiz, citing ‘tricky conditions’ as a factor in her struggles.

On the men’s side, an all-American semifinal sees reigning Pan Am Champion Nick Kappers take on last year’s winner in Medellin, James Lutz, meaning the USA is guaranteed at least two compound medals between the men and women.

Luccas Abreu into the final four in Medellin.

Lutz, who is now the favourite to claim gold as the highest ranked remaining player, is relishing the prospect of facing close friend Kappers.

“It’ll be fun,” he said. “We are shooting against each other a lot at home in the States, so it’ll just be like every other match.”

“Whatever happens, if I win or he wins, one of us is going to make the final,” said Kappers. “I’m optimistic.”

History could be made in the other final four match as Abreu is looking to become Brazil’s first compound archer to reach a gold medal match since Roberval Dos Santos in 2008 in Porec.

He beat Jose Marcelo Del Cid by one point to progress to the semifinals and will face Abhishek Verma after the Indian produced a shock victory in his first event of 2023 to beat world number one and top seed Mike Schloesser.

Competition continues in Medellin with mixed team eliminations on Friday morning.