Single-arrow shoot-off decides compound men’s gold medal in Berlin
Evren Cagiran beat Mike Schloesser in a single-arrow shoot-off, 10 to nine, to take compound men’s gold at the fourth stage of the 2019 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
“I’m proud of myself. This is my second final and I’ve won again. The next will be the World Cup final. I will try to do my best. Now, I’m so excited I don’t know what more I can say,” said Evren, who had lost all five of his previous matches against the world number one.
“I won at the correct place because as you say I lost many times in the elimination but the first time we shot against each other in the final, I won. I’m happy.”
Cagiran, the ninth seed, shot five ends of 29 points in the final and totalled 145.
After opening with a loose couple of shots, scoring 27 for his first end, Mike put down 11 perfect arrows. He had 137 points with one left to shoot – and needed a nine to win.
The wind gusted and Schloesser shot a good arrow. But it landed low.
It was directly south on the target, nearly on the edge of the nine-line but not quite breaking it. The match went to a tiebreak.
Mike shot first. He shot it a bit quick. It went high, rather than low, in the middle of the nine. Cagiran had plenty of room to play with – but he didn’t need it as he drilled the X-ring.
“At the last arrow when I shot 10, I thought: ‘okay, I’m ready, I can shoot the 10’. I’m ready to do that. When Mike made the mistake then it was, ‘okay, this was my time’,” said Evren. “This time I will win.”
It is the second stage victory of the 26-year-old Turkish archer’s career. He previously won in Antalya in 2016.
That year also brought his first appearance at the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final. Moscow, in September 2019, will be his second – and now he goes as a stage winner, rather than a points qualifier.
Kris Schaff, who isn’t going to Moscow, beat Braden Gellenthien, who is, to the compound men’s bronze in Berlin.
After both started with 30 points, neither lit up the scoreboard for the length of the match. Schaff did finish with another 30 to bring his 15-arrow score to 144 points. Gellenthien finished on 141.
Antalya winner James Lutz, Daniel Munoz, Jozef Bosansky and Sergio Pagni are the other compound men confirmed for the 2019 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final.
Pagni’s place will be officially confirmed on Monday when the updated world ranking list is released.
The fourth stage of the 2019 Hyundai Archery World Cup takes place on 1-7 July in Berlin, Germany.
