Zagreb world field championships: shooting groups worth following

Zagreb 2014 19-24 August
World Archery Field Championships

NEWS | RESULTS 
VIDEO | PHOTOS
Wed 20 Aug Qualification
Thu 21 Aug Qualification
Fri 22 Aug Elimination

Sat 23 Aug Team finals
LIVE: Team
Sun 24 Aug Individual finals
LIVE: Junior | Senior

See full schedule

It’s unmarked day in Zagreb, with 24 targets over three different courses on the agenda. These are the targets to keep an eye on during the first day of qualification:

1) Recurve women (starting target 3):

Reigning champ Elena RITCHER and 2013 World Games winner Naomi FOLKARD will shoot unmarked qualification together. The Olympians and regular target archers will make the latter stages of Zagreb qualification – and are a good bet as finalists.

2) Recurve men (starting target 4):

Former champ and silver then bronze medallist over the last two worlds, Jon SHALES is competing for the 26th time with the British flag on his shoulders. He might likely make the top 16, as usual.

He’s on a target with world student team silver medallist Massimiliano MANDIA, from Italy – who (for a quick piece of trivia) was world junior champion at Wales 2008.

3) Compound women (starting target 3):

The USA’s Jamie VAN NATTA had a good World Cup 2014 season, picking up gold and silver medals with her national team. She recently received the Easton Award for best indoor, field and target scores – along with compound men’s teammate DAVE COUSINS – at the States’ nationals.

World University 2014 champ, Katia D’AGOSTINO was ninth two years ago at Val d’Isere and she has been in the top 10 at most of target archery internationals she attended this year.

4) Compound men (starting target 10):

Sander DOLDERMAN missed the Dutch team for the World Cup 2014 for just few points. At Val d’Isere 2012, Sander won the second elimination round with a shoot-off with Italian Antonio POMPEO - who is also on the same target… would Antonio take revenge?

Experienced field archer, Slovenian Dejan SITAR, might improve his Val d’Isere results – and get into the top eight.

5) Barebow women:

IT’s hard to pick just one target when Eleonora STROBBE (ITA), Reingild LINHART (AUT) and Lina BJORKLUND (SWE) are shooting separately. They are probably the three women’s favourites.

6) Barebow men (starting target 11):

Barebow world champion in 2002, Martin OTTOSSON has shot great qualification scores in the past month. He’s on a target with veteran Alan EAGLETON (USA) – who’s probably one of OTTOSSON’s likely challengers.

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