European Games Champion Andreoli feeling time pressure at her last world youth championships
Tatiana Andreoli is feeling the pressure as she arrives in Madrid for the 2019 World Archery Youth Championships.
The 20-year-old Italian archer has had international success as a junior and has recently found her feet at the senior level. Andreoli won the European Games in Minsk earlier this summer.
As the number 14 ranked recurve woman in the world, she’s well aware of the chance she has in Madrid. Hopes for the Torino native are high.
“I have a lot of pressure from others and also from myself. These are the last world youth championships during my long junior career. So the pressure comes from the fact that it’s the last chance to take an individual outdoor gold medal,” explained Tatiana. “It’s important for me – but either I will win or I will learn.”
Andreoli ages out of the junior category at the end of this year. She will turn 21 in 2020.
Having won the junior indoor world title in 2014 – following that up with silver in 2016 – and picked up four team gold medals at junior championships since 2014, she’s no stranger to major youth finals.
But that individual outdoor gold is missing. And there is no room for mistakes in Madrid.
“I think it’s better because I will stay more in the game. I won't lose my mind, think about anything else. I can’t start thinking: it’s the last… no, no; I have to focus and shoot,” said Tatiana. “I’ve got to do my best. I do it for myself and also for the others.”
The heat in Spain is causing a lengthened competition schedule with large lunch breaks at this event. It’s a familiar climate for Andreoli.
“It’s more or less like in Italy. I don’t know about the other archers but I’ve got a small fan with me to cool down, also an umbrella, and I try to stay hydrated,” she said.
There’s one more thing that could help the young Italian athlete on her path to gold at these championships. Attached to her quiver, she keeps two small, blue and white ceramic clogs from the Netherlands.
The ornament is no mere trinket.
“I think in 2015, a Dutch girl gave them to me. It also pays honour to my coach, the best coach ever. He comes from the Netherlands,” she said, presumably referring to former Italian head coach Wietse van Alten. “I look [at them] and I feel as if I had my coach behind me.”
Competition at the 2019 World Archery Youth Championships starts tomorrow with qualification on the Complutense University rugby field. Some 73 recurve junior women will begin the event.
Tatiana hopes she will be the one standing at the end.
The 2019 World Archery Youth Championships takes place on 19-25 August in Madrid, Spain.
