Meissner dominates in 149-point Nimes Archery Tournament final
Janine Meissner, Braden Gellenthien, Kang Chae Young and Lee Seungyun took the individual titles at the 2019 Nimes Archery Tournament, the fourth event of this inaugural Indoor Archery World Series.
Meissner shot the best final of the event, scoring 149-points for the 15-arrow 18-metre match in a win over Hyundai Mobis professional archer So Chaewon in the compound women’s gold medal match.
“I feel great. I can’t describe how awesome it is. Every shot felt great,” said Janine.
“At the end of the match, I asked my boyfriend what was my score because I was so focused on me and the target. It was the best thing.”
“To be in the finals is something very special. To shoot here and enjoy this is awesome.”
The 24-year-old, fourth seed, shot eight straight 10s before dropping the nine – and had a four-point lead with six arrows to shoot.
Meissner finished the match five up on Chaewon, 149 points to 144.
Braden Gellenthien found himself in a 10-to-win situation with his final arrow for the second Indoor Archery World Series tournament in a row.
In Rome, he missed it and the match went to a shoot-off, from which Braden came out better. In Nimes, he delivered the 10 he needed to beat Kris Schaff in regulation, 145-144.
“I said previously in Rome that I felt really strong with my shot, and I would have expected to hit the 10-ring 90 out of a 100 shots,” said Gellenthien.
“Today I told myself the same thing, relax, shoot the best shot you can and let the chips fall as they may. Today, it found its way into the 10-ring.”
“I’m feeling confident, the equipment’s working and my mind’s at ease. I’m expecting a really strong season.”
Braden survived two shoot-offs during eliminations in France after qualifying 10th.
He tied with Jesse Broadwater on 149 points in the second round and then beat him with a better 10 in the tiebreak; his perfect semifinal against Mike Schloesser also needed another 10 in sudden death to see the States archer advance.
Outdoor world record holder Kang Chae Young beat 14-year-old Casey Kaufhold in a four-set recurve women’s final, 6-2, and 2013 World Archery Champion Lee Seungyun bested Sergii Makarevych, also in four sets.
Individual winners in Nimes received 1000 points towards the Indoor Archery World Series elite ranking.
Each climbed to the top of their respective lists ahead of the last stage and final of the circuit, which takes place in Las Vegas in two weeks’ time.
Jules Vautrin, Aiko Rolando, Carson Sapp and Faith Miller took the junior titles in Nimes.
The Nimes Archery Tournament is the fourth stage of the 2019 Indoor Archery World Series.
