Unruh bests Osipova after tiebreak in battle of Olympic runner-ups
Lisa Unruh shot a better 10 to beat Elena Osipova in a tiebreak to decide the recurve women’s gold medal match at the 2021 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in Yankton.
“It’s amazing. I’m still trying to understand and I’m just so happy that I’ve won the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final,” said Unruh.
“It’s a great end to the season. I didn’t dream it would be so successful and now I’m happy to head on holiday.”
The silver medallist at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Unruh, jumped to a two-set lead over the silver medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Osipova, before the latter battled back.
A high-quality final finished in a single-arrow tiebreak.
Osipova, who had gotten better with each set after dispatching Ana Vazquez and Deepika Kumari in the earlier matches, stuck a decent 10.
There was room – and enough for Unruh to sneak inside.
She delivered a near-perfect arrow to take it.
Unruh, who flew out to Yankton solely for this morning’s event having skipped the worlds for police training, is the first German winner of the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final.
“I didn’t expect anything. I just wanted to enjoy it and make strong shots, which I did,” said Lisa. “In the end, it paid off.”
Osipova’s silver medal matches the best-ever result for a Russian recurve woman at this tournament. (Ksenia Perova finished second in 2017.)
It also caps an exceptional season for the 28-year-old.
“Of course, I wanted to be first, but I’m happy with silver all the same,” she said. “I‘m really satisfied I’ve one so many medals this year.”
Germany had a second archer on the podium after Michelle Kroppen, who had been knocked out by teammate Unruh, defeated world number two Deepika Kumari in the bronze medal match.
That also went to a shoot-off, Kumari having to comeback from two perfect opening volleys from Kroppen, but the Indian archer shot a weird six in the tiebreak.
“Normally, I don’t want to focus on [my opponent’s] arrow but it was announced very loudly,” said Michelle. “I know I just had to shoot something straight and strong.”
Competition concludes in Yankton with recurve men’s finals this afternoon.
