Recurve squads from Korea, China, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Germany will contest gold and bronze medal matches at the first stage of the 2018 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Shanghai, China in the centre of Pudong area at the Lujiazui Central Green Park.
It’s a heavily-Asian dominated line-up in a season that culminates in the Asian Games.
“We are testing forces and checking how others teams are doing. It’s the first stage of the season but we are already seeing good performances,” said Korean men’s team leader Oh Jin Hyek.
Korea will go head-to-head with Japan for men’s team gold in Shanghai, after China and Germany compete for bronze.
To secure a second gold medal match appearance in a row at the opening stage of the international circuit, Korea – represented by Oh, Kim Woojin and Lee Woo Seok – beat the USA in the quarterfinals and then China’s Wang Dapeng, Wang Yan and Ding Yiliang, in the semis in a shoot-off.
It was an emphatic victory.
“Last year we lost against Kazakhstan, but this year it will be different. This year the gold is ours,” said Oh.
They will meet Furukawa Takaharu, Kuraya Tomoaki and Muto Hiroki who despite making the finals, admitted not being at their best: “Today we were just lucky.”
“The goal this year is the Asian Games but there’s still a lot to improve. We are proud, though, to be part of the Asian teams that made the final in Shanghai. It proves the level of the continent and what can other nations can expect from all of us.”
Chang Hye Jin, Kang Chae Young and Lee Eun Gyeong of Korea will shoot for the recurve women’s team gold medal against Tan Ya-Ting, Lei Chien-Ying and Peng Chia-Mao of Chinese Taipei.
It’s a final, said Lei, that they expect to repeat in Jakarta in August:
“This is the best chance we have to shoot against Korea and measure the pressure. We will both shoot at the Asian Games and we see ourselves having this final. We know what we have and what they have.”
Germany and China will shoot for recurve women’s team bronze.
The first stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup takes place in Shanghai, China on 23-29 April.
