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Woojin returns to world number one spot, joined by Gazoz

23 May 2022

Lausanne, Switzerland

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Kim Woojin and Mete Gazoz are the joint world #1s on 23 May 2022

There have been some big moves in the top-50 of the world ranking after the second stage of the 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage in Gwangju, Korea.

The USA’s Brady Ellison has lost his recurve men’s world number one spot to a combination of Kim Woojin and Mete Gazoz, who are both tied on 274 ranking points each, compared to Ellison’s 273. Woojin is the reigning World Archery Champion, while Mete is the reigning Olympic Champion.

Ellison had held the top spot since 17 June 2019.

Kim was last number one in July 2018, while Gazoz – who has sat in second for almost 12 months – ascends to the head of the ranking for the very first time. It is very unusual, given the complex nature of the ranking calculations, for first to be shared between two archers.

Mike Schloesser, Sara Lopez and An San have retained the top spots in the compound men’s, compound women’s and recurve women’s lists.

After his second consecutive stage win on the season, Schloesser’s lead in the compound men’s ranking – over number-two ranked Mathias Fullerton and third-place (and reigning World Archery Champion) Nico Wiener, who is up four places – is now gigantic.

Antalya winner and back-to-back stage medallist Miguel Alvarino Garcia of Spain is up to two positions to fourth, his highest-ever ranking in the recurve men’s list, while Olympic bronze medallist Lucilla Boari of Italy is now the fifth-ranked recurve woman, also a career-high.

Alejandra Usquiano now sits second behind her Colombian teammate, Lopez, in the compound women’s world rankings. The 29-year-old’s previous best was fourth in mid-2014.

Notable new entries into the top 10 after Gwangju include Australia’s Ryan Tyack (recurve man, +3 to 10), Jean Pizzaro (compound man, +3 to 10), Casey Kaufhold (recurve woman, +6 to 10) and Lisell Jaatma, who is the biggest riser near the top, having jumped nine places up into ninth in the compound women’s ranking.

After two promising events to start the year, the German team – particularly its recurve women – is starting to be rewarded. Katharina Bauer is up six to 11th and Charline Schwarz is up 12 to 17th.

Korea hasn’t competed on the international circuit since late 2019 so outside of the Olympics last summer and worlds last autumn, its archers had little chance to collect meaningful ranking points. A return to the tour – and the podium – saw significant moves for the whole team, including a best-ever rank for young star Kim Je Deok, who is up 30 to 17th in the recurve men’s list and a 39-place increase for Gwangju recurve women’s winner Choi Misun, who’s now in 14th.