“The previous world record was 150 10X. It was tied with the women and the juniors and I think it had been there for four years, so it was pretty good to break it,” said USA compound archer Reo WILDE.
He was the first to reach the 10X mark, before Colombia’s Sara LOPEZ equaled it and claimed the women’s senior and junior record and another USA shooter, David HOUSER, did the same with the junior men’s world-best score.
At the first stage of the 2015 Archery World Cup in Shanghai, Reo broke the stalemate.
“I told Sara just before we went to shoot that we should both set new world records in the pass: ‘Let’s shoot a 150 with 11,’ I said.” He was up against the Netherland’s Peter ELZINGA.
In the match, Reo went one X better.
“To shoot a world record with 12 was pretty cool.”
The X-ring is a centre circle inside the top-scoring 10 used to break ties in qualifications and for world records.
Saying he was happy with his equipment, Reo – who had the honour of being the first Archery World Cup Champion when he won the circuit’s first edition in 2006 – revealed that his set-up currently puts a lot of arrows into that four-centimetre diameter middle circle.
“During qualification I shot 41” – out of a possible 72 – he explained.
“I used a new release aid I’ve developed called the HBX. It helps to put up a new world record with it on the first day it’s ever been shot!”
Moments after the handshakes were over, Reo was back on the line for a quarterfinal against Frenchman Seb Peineau. That match did not go his way.
Despite scoring a solid 148 out of 150, his opponent landed one more point and knocked the world-record breaker out of the Shanghai tournament.
“I shot a good score, Sebastien shot a better score.”
“The French have got me a couple of times this year. PJ got me in Arizona, 150-149 so I’d say I guess sooner or later it will be my turn.”
“Good start to the year, gives me good points towards the finals and some good scores were shot.”
The best score of the day: Reo’s.
