The Danish compound men’s squad, which also won the world title at the outdoor championships in Belek in 2013, has been one of the most consistently successful teams of the last three years. It’s also fielded only one line-up in that time: Martin Damsbo, World Archery Champion Stephan Hansen and Patrick Laursen.
In Ankara 2016, the team has a second shot at gold in two editions of the world indoors, this time against first seeded Italy, a squad that’s never made it to this stage in the tournament.
“We have shot a few times against Italy. On Sunday you’ll see our best side and we will shoot a lot better than today,” world champion Hansen said.
The last time Denmark faced Italy was in the bronze medal match at the World Archery Championships in Copenhagen, home soil for the Danes and where Hansen won his title – when the locals won.
Italy won’t roll over easily.
“This team is probably the best one we have had in many years. We had a good qualification position and we’re shooting strong,” recent Vegas Shoot Winner Sergio Pagni said.
Denmark cruised through its first match, a quarterfinal against Turkey, in Ankara, then had a rough start against the French team – Peineau, Boulch and Delobelle – in the semis.
“We just had too many arrows out,” Martin said.
France took the lead by one point and kept it until the end of the third end. With the score at 176-175 in the French archers’ favour, the team put three arrows out of the 10 for a last-end total of 57. It was too wide of a gap for the Danes, who shot 59 and overtook France in the closing seconds to win 234-233.
“Luckily the French ended with a few arrows out and we had that one point, enough for the win. It was a really close match, back and forth,” added Martin.
Patrick said the team, shooting together for so long and friends off the competition field at home in Denmark, was confident heading into the final. If anything, some of the group admitted, they spend too much time together!
“We are such good friends that even when Martin and I are supposed to go on a date, I get into the car and suddenly there’s the whole team with us,” joked Erika Anear, who shoots as part of the Danish compound women’s team, also going for gold in Ankara, with Tanja Jensen and Sarah Holst Sonnicshen. “We like chilling out together.”
Last year’s Archery World Cup stage in Antalya was the first time these three ladies competed together – and they reached the finals. In Ankara, it’s a first chance for a Danish women’s team at a world indoor gold.
On their way to the finals, they upset Turkey and Italy. In the final, they will shoot against Las Vegas 2012 silver medallist Russia.
“We knew we could do it! The hard part is over and now just want to shoot the finals and win gold,” said Tanja.
Italy shoots for compound women’s team bronze against the USA, the latter’s only medal match in the senior competition in the discipline. The men’s third place decider sees Russia and France take to the arena.
Defending Champion USA, which had held the compound men’s team crown at the World Archery Indoor Championships since 2003, lost in the quarterfinals to Russia. The States team suffered a miss recorded on the scoresheet in the second end.
“One of the guys got hand up on the shot. It just took more time and we didn’t have enough time to finish,” explained Reo Wilde. “It happens.”
