Cure adds third straight major podium on path to Paralympics

Italian recurve duo Stefano Travisani and Elisabetta Mijno, Korea’s Kim Ok Geu, Rakesh Kumar of India, and Türkiye’s Yiğit Caner Aydın and Öznur Cüre took individual victories at the Fazza para archery world ranking tournament today in Dubai.

It is Cüre’s third consecutive international podium, dating back to her win at the world para championships last summer.

“We worked a lot for this competition,” said the 26-year-old, who is shaping up to be a favourite for the compound women’s title at the upcoming Paralympic Games. “In Tokyo, I lost the gold medal match by just one point so I want to improve my medal this time.”

“My shooting was superb today.”

Cüre qualified second in Dubai to nemesis – and Indian armless sensation – Sheetal Devi, trailing the 17-year-old by just one point over the 72-arrow 50-metre round, 678 to 679.

And while Devi was upset by a better 10 in a quarterfinal 10 tiebreak, the Turkish para archer survived her toughest test, shooting a better nine to beat Brazil’s Jane Karla Gogel in the semifinals after both tied on 142 points after the 15 arrows of regulation scoring.

A nine-point victory over France’s Julie Rigault Chupin (who had beaten Devi) secured gold.

Cüre and Devi are widely expected to the two favourites for the compound women’s title in Paris.

The last quota places for the upcoming Paralympic Games were won during yesterday's final regional (Africa and Oceania) and world qualifiers, held alongside this para world ranking tournament in Dubai. There are currently 38 nations with at least one ticket with only invitational places left to be awarded.

Winners: Fazza tournament (para)

• Recurve men: Stefano Travisani, Italy
• Recurve women: Elisabetta Mijno, Italy 
• Compound men: Rakesh Kumar, India
• Compound women: Öznur Cüre, Türkiye
• W1 men: Yiğit Caner Aydın, Türkiye
• W1 women: Kim Ok Geu, Korea