Defending champion Steve Wijler tops leaderboard in Antalya

Steve Wijler of the Netherlands submitted his first-career top seed in an international qualification round on Tuesday with a score of 670 at the 2021 European Championships in Antalya.

The reigning continental champion in the recurve men’s division outlasted multiple weather delays to top the leaderboard alongside the other top seeds, Denmark’s Tanja Gellenthien, fellow Dutchman Mike Schloesser and Russia’s Elena Osipova, who broke the recurve women’s European record earlier in the day. 

“We needed to have a break with the lightning, and for me, that took my whole gameplan off,” said Wijler, whose scores fluctuated throughout the afternoon. “I’m not the typical ranking guy, so I’m extremely happy.”

Steve resumed shooting after the delay, said he thought he’d stabilised his shooting but then posted a 50 in the first end of his last 36, sparking a moment of internal frustration.

“It was freaking stressful,” Wijler said. “I was like, ‘dude you can do way better than this’.”

But the world number four regathered to finish strong with a run of 58s, plus one 56, to close out the 72-arrow 70-metre qualifying round and steal pole position from Mete Gazoz in the last end.

Gazoz, by the way, will start as top seed in the Olympic quota tournament, which is scheduled for Friday.

Competing among a slew of archers with their sights set on securing Olympic quota places later in the week, Wijler – who is already headed to Tokyo as a member of the Netherlands recurve men’s team – can focus on winning a second consecutive European title.

“I don’t really see it as defending my title. I just want to win it again,” Wijler said. “Defending isn’t my style. I just want to go for it and see how far I can go.”

Tanja Gellenthien shot a perfect last end to take the top seed in the compound women’s competition with a score of 706 points. The gold medallist from the second stage of the 2021 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Lausanne had shot scores of 701 in her previous two qualification rounds this year, claiming she had left points on the table in each. 

Her result on Tuesday in spite of the weather is a strong indicator that she will continue the success of the past two months into this week.

“I knew I could shoot better, and I’m glad I got to prove it,” Gellenthien said. “I still think I got more in me, so we’ll see how things play out.”

Competition continues with eliminations on Wednesday in Antalya.