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Team USA reach men and women’s compound finals in Türkiye

19 April 2023

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USA will contest both the compound men’s and women’s team gold medal matches after a successful morning of action at the season-opening stage of the 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Antalya, Türkiye. The US men will face Denmark, while the women will meet world-champion Colombia in the first finals of the year.

Bronze medals in the events were awarded on the eliminations field this morning, with the men’s squad of Chinese Taipei and Mexico’s compound women securing early podiums.

After shooting a world record in qualifying, the US compound men’s team of Braden Gellenthien, James Lutz and Sawyer Sullivan dominated matchplay, shooting back-to-back contests of 238 points (two off perfect) before beating El Salvador, 235-232, in their semifinal to reach Saturday’s showpiece.

There, the team will face the Danish trio of Tore Bjarnarson, Mathias Fullerton, and Stephan Hansen after they defeated Chinese Taipei, 234-228, in their final-four encounter.

“It feels great. We shot great as a team and had a great team spirit,” said Fullerton, the top individual seed at this event.

“We had a lot of fun today. It’s been a perfect week until now. Good quali, good team rounds. I’m excited for what happens in the next few days.”

The US compound women – with a new-look team of Madison Cox, Cassidy Cox and Danelle Wentzel-Lutz – upset top-seeded India, after qualifying just eighth, in the quarterfinals to spring a run at the final.

“It’s the first time ever the three of us shot as a team,” said Wentzel-Lutz, shooting for the USA in her first event having previously represented South Africa. “We had two rounds to figure it out and I think we kept our heads cool and it really mattered that we were supporting each other.”

The US women will need to build on their 232-point average (matches of 231, 232 and 233 this morning) before facing Colombia on Saturday.

The reigning world champion in the category, Colombia – anchored by the legendary Sara Lopez – didn’t shoot a match below 234 points today, finishing by comfortably dispatching Mexico in the semifinals, 236-234. Lopez is joined by long-time teammate Alejandra Usquiano and Hyundai Archery World Cup debutant Juliana Gallego Lopez in the line-up.

“We’re really happy. We’re here by a really big surprise. We weren’t coming as a team and we only realised that we had one two days before travelling here,” said Lopez, who is seeded third in the individual competition. “We also have a new team member that is Juliana. She’s really young and she’s been shooting for not so long – and she is part of my local team and I see her as my little sister.”

The Pereira native is responsible for inspiring plenty of young women in Colombia to take up the sport.

“It’s great to be able to shoot for gold with her,” added Lopez. “The scores yesterday were a really good sign that we proved we’re still one of the best teams in the world.”

Action concluded on Wednesday morning with the team bronze medal matches.

On the right of the permanent archery field, where the compound women were shooting, Andrea Becerra, Ana Sofia Hernandez Jeon and Dafne Quintero delivered an emotional win in the compound women’s team bronze medal match, taking a four-point victory over Chinese Taipei, 234-230.

Becerra sent the winning arrow – a perfect 10 – then did a little dance and hugged her teammates.

Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chieh-Lun, Pan Yu Ping, and Yang Cheng-Jui beat El Salvador by just a point in the compound men’s bronze medal match. Chen shot a perfect score in the bronze medal match and commented: “It’s very good because it’s the first tournament of the season and I already got a bronze medal. I’m very happy!”

“We cheered on each other inside the team and we had a very good emotion so we could win the bronze medal.”

Competition continues on Wednesday afternoon in Antalya with recurve qualifying.