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The Rajamangala Stadium (photo) is a hive of industry and the tournament ground is almost finished for the Official Practice Day on Friday 1 November.
This is a large tournament with some 254 athletes participating from Asia, the Americas and a large number from the European countries. South Africa is the only representative from that continent – Africa – where archery in general is beginning to become popular.
The standard of shooting is expected to be very high with most of the medal winners from the Paralympic Games in London here to try to repeat or improve their 2012 efforts.
In the women’s recurve W2 Zhara NEMATI (IRI) will seek to add a World Gold to the Paralympic Gold she achieved last year. No doubt last year’s silver medallist, Elisabetta MIJNO (ITA) will work hard to win gold this year and XIAO Yanhong (CHN) will seek to retain the World crown she won in Turin in 2011.
Women’s recurve standing competition has two team medallists from London YAN Huilian (CHN) and LEE Hwa Sook (KOR) here in Bangkok and who will all be chased hard by the bronze medallist from Turin, Magali COMTE from Switzerland.
Men’s recurve standing division will see the three Russian medallists and team champions from London Timur TUCHINOV, Oleg SHESTAKOV and Mikhail OYUN resume their battle but with a total of 41 athletes entered, the battle will be fierce.
Men’s recurve W2 would appear to be a much more open competition with only two of the London medallists, Hasihin SANAWI (MAS) and TSENG Lung Hui (TPE) and again 41 athletes in total.
The women’s compound open sees the renewed battle between the two British women, London silver medallist Mel CLARKE and reigning World and two time Paralympic gold medallist, Danielle BROWN. Others in the division are fairly new to this level of competition so upsets may be in order.
Many who were looking forward to another exhibition of amazing shooting just using the feet will be disappointed that Matt STUTZMAN of USA will not be shooting. However, with a total of 64 athletes in the men's compound open division there is plenty of room for another great archer to win the World title.
Paralympic gold medallist in the men’s W1 class, Jeff FABRY (USA) will have his work cut out to retain David his world dominance with the other two medallists from London, David DRAHONINSKY (CZE) and Norbert MURPHY (CAN), and a dozen or so other athletes hot on his heels.
Tomorrow’s opening ceremony will be broadcast live nation-wide on Thai state television with a daily update on the local news bulletins.
World Archery Communication
