Team USA Archers Shooting for Five Team Gold Medals in Ogden

  
Recurve Mixed Team The afternoon began with mixed team eliminations. The French team (Gael PREVOST/Berengere SCHUH) shot well in the first round of the day, the 1/8 round, defeating the Netherlands 149-148. However the joy didn’t last long since they lost their next match to Italy, 145-148. The young recurve team of Miranda LEEK and Brady ELLISON (USA) opened with a 1/8 round win over the team from Switzerland, Nathalie DIELEN and Axel MULLER, 148-121. The team then advanced to face Mexico in the quarterfinals; however, the pair of Alejandra VALENCIA and Luiz VELEZ SANCHEZ were no match for the Americans, who won with a 16-point lead, 156-140. In the semifinals, it was a matchup between the U.S. and Italy, always a strong contender in any match. Michele FRANGILLI and Natalia VALEEVA, perhaps one of the most experienced pairs on the field, were still not quite able to edge out the U.S. team, who shot a 150 to Italy's 147, securing a spot in Saturday’s gold medal match versus India. Today, Italy went on to the bronze medal match, where they faced Dmytro HRACHOV and Nina MYLCHENKO of Ukraine, who scored a strong 150 to win the bronze medal.  
Recurve Men Team The Ukraine and Italy, seeded No. 4 and No. 5, respectively fought in a very tight match, ending in a tie, 222-222. The Ukrainian archers Dmytro HRACHOV, Viktor RUBAN and Markiyan IVASHKO won the shoot-off. The U.S. team opened with a 226-221 quarterfinal win over the team from Mexico, featuring Juan René SERRANO, Luis VELEZ SANCHEZ and Pedro VIVAS ALCALA. Advancing to the semifinals, the U.S. came up against the Ukrainian team. However, they were able to hold off their opponents, posting a 229-226 semifinal win and earning a spot in the gold medal final versus China, who easily defeated Canada 227-215. For the bronze medal match, it will be a meeting between the Ukrainian and Indian teams.   Recurve Women Team Ranked number one from qualifications, the U.S. team members Miranda LEEK, Jennifer NICHOLS and Khatuna LORIG were determined to have another placement in the finals, following their silver medal perforrmance at the second World Cup stage in Antalya. They first faced the team of Ana BAYARDO, Aida ROMAN and Alejandra VALENCIA from Mexico, in the quarterfinals. With a close 220-219 victory, the U.S. women advanced to meet the team from Ukraine in the semifinals. Nina MYLCHENKO, Kateryna PALEKHA and Kateryna YAROVSKA photo had qualified over Italy in a tight match which they won in a shoot-off, 28-27. They proved difficult for the U.S. women, posting a 218 to USA's 217 to clinch their spot in the gold medal match. They will face India photo, who defeated China 209-207. The U.S. team will meet China in their quest for the bronze medal.    
   
   
Compound Mixed Team For the compound mixed team, the U.S. team of Christie COLIN and Braden GELLENTHIEN (USA) met Partrick COGHLAN and Deb NICHOLSON of Australia in the quarterfinals. The U.S. shot a 156 to win the match, advancing to the semis and a meeting with Martin DAMSBO and Camilla SOEMOD of Denmark, who had qualified over Canada. In the semifinals, the USA scored a strong 158-point score that took the match, giving them a berth to the gold medal final against Italy (Marcella TONIOLI/Sergio PAGNI) on Saturday. With their semifinal score of 152, Denmark earned a spot in the bronze medal contest, where they met Pierre Julien DELOCHE and Pascale LEBECQUE of France; ultimately, it was a bronze medal victory for Denmark, 154-151.  
Compound Men Team The team of Braden GELLENTHIEN, Logan WILDE and Reo WILDE (USA) were byed into the quarterfinals, where they first encountered the Mexican team of Julio FIERRO, Jaime HAFID and David MONTIEL. It was a 10-point victory for the U.S. men with 238 to 228. In semifinals they met the Iranian team of Majid GHEYDI, Amir KAZEMPOOR and Behzad PAKZAD, who had defeated El Salvador 232-227 in the previous round. The U.S. team took an initial lead and maintained it, ending the match with a 234-232 victory that ensured their spot in Saturday's gold medal final. The other semifinal featured France against the team from Canada, consisting of two individual world champions, Dietmar TRILLUS (2007) and Christopher PERKINS (2011), joined by Simon ROUSSEAU. The Canadians won their match 230-228 and the right to face the U.S. team in the gold medal final. In the bronze medal match, it will be a meeting between Iran and France.  
Compound Women Team The best team from qualifications USA – Erika ANSCHUTZ (USA), Christie COLIN and Jamie VAN NATTA – started out with a solid 233-221 quarterfinal victory over the team of Aimee DEAVER, Sherry GALE and Deb NICHOLSON of Australia. Canada had the closest win of this round, 220-219, against the team from Iran. France had an easy victory in their duel against Belgium (223-214), as did India who defeated Mexico 230-221. Surprises in quarterfinals included the elimination of the teams from Iran and Belgium, considered strong contenders for spots in the medal matches. France and India met in semifinal, and the latter had a comfortable win 227-220. Facing Canada in the semifinals, the U.S. ladies did not miss a beat, shooting a 236 to win the match and break the previous record of 234. The Canadian team of Camille BOUFFARD-DEMERS, Dawn GROSZKO and Charlene PARLEE will face the team from France on Saturday for the bronze medal match, while the U.S. women will meet Jhano HANSDAH, Gangandeep KAUR and Manjudha SOY of India in their quest for the gold.

The competition continues with finals Friday and Saturday night from the Lindquist Stadium, which will be broadcast live on ESPN3: http://espn.go.com/espn3/index/_/sport/outdoors. World Archery will be reporting live from the event, with scores and commentaries posted to www.worldarchery.org as well as photo albums.

World Archery Communication / Teresa IACONI, USA Archery