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Seeds tumble and shocks galore in Antalya recurve eliminations

21 April 2023

Antalya, Türkiye

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Nothing was certain in the recurve eliminations at the opening stage of the 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Antalya, Türkiye.

First, men’s world number one Marcus D’Almeida stumbled out in the second round at the hands of 54th-seed Turkish archer Ulas Tumer, then top-seeded Mexican woman Alejandra Valencia lost a last-32 shoot-off to 17-year-old Indian debutant Bhajan Kaur. Olympic Champion Mete Gazoz made it one phase further – but he, too, was upset by a surging Eric Peters. (“It was my fault,” Gazoz said afterwards.)

When the dust settled at the end of the session – and the recurve final fours were decided – the highest qualifier in either competition was only number five and the average seeding was 20th.

An Qixuan headlines the recurve women’s line-up on Sunday.

The 22-year-old made the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in 2019 but the Chinese team hasn’t competed internationally since then. She’s joined by Penny Healey, the British 18-year-old whose name keeps appearing in the latter stages, German newcomer Elina Idensen and – somehow battling back from seeding 42nd – Laura van der Winkel, who will appear in the arena for the second straight year in Antalya.

Olympic silver medallist Jean-Charles Valladont, a former winner at this event, and Dan Olaru are the two recurve men left with experience. Olaru made his first final four in Paris last season.

Kazakhstan’s Ilfat Abdullin and new Indian archer Dhiraj Bommadevara, who knocked out veteran teammate Tarundeep Rai in the semis, join them in the final four.

“I’m very happy because I haven’t been shooting well for a long time,” said Valladont after the session. The 34-year-old won this tournament in 2017. “After my Olympic medal [in 2016], I shot one good year and then it got bad. But now I have a new coach, new training system and new philosophy.”

Former Korean coach Oh Seon Tek joined the French team at the start of last season. A dramatic change – but one that might be starting to produce results.

“Now I shoot to be happy,” explained Valladont. “I’m never tired. I can’t be unhappy. This is my philosophy. I win or lose, it’s sport. If I win, I’m very happy.”

The Frenchman dropped eighth seed Tang Chih-Chun, the Taipei archer who incidentally inherited the individual Olympic silver from Valladont in Tokyo, in the third round to spring his run through the bracket. Former Indoor Archery World Series Champion Felix Wieser Wieser followed before JC needed a shoot-off to dispatch Canadian Eric Peters in the quarterfinals.

For Sunday’s semifinals, Valladont and Olaru will occupy opposite sides of the bracket.

Olaru finished fourth at the third stage of last year’s circuit in Paris – his first arena appearance – and is still on the hunt for Moldova’s first individual medal on the world circuit.

But he’ll have to pass the world number 256, Bommadevara, first. And that might prove difficult – especially if the Indian displays the same mettle that saw him down former world champion and second seed Brady Ellison with a better 10 in the last-16 phase of eliminations.

Penny Healey, who’s just 18, has downed some big names during her short international career to date. This afternoon’s biggest victims – the silver medallist at the last world championships, Casey Kaufhold, and the world champion in 2019, Lei Chien-Ying.

“It feels amazing,” said Healey. “It’s great to continue the streak. I made my parents, my home proud.”

Healey won a European Grand Prix – a continental event – on home soil in Lilleshall a few weeks ago, saying afterwards that it was the first time she’d entered a final with no nerves. There, and today, she had the words ‘attack’, ‘aim’ and ‘confident’ scribbled in pen on her bow hand.

“The wind was tricky. I added ‘aim’ and ‘confident’ but ‘attack’ was what my teammates and coaches told me to do,” she explained.

Healey has An Qixuan in her semifinal on Sunday. The Brit beat Qixuan’s teammate Qiu Muyan, 6-2, in the quarterfinals.

There was time for one final upset when the Netherlands’ Laura van der Winkel, who seeded just 42nd, took out the second qualifier from Spain, Elia Canales, to make an unlikely return to the arena in Antalya.

“It’s just awesome to see the hard work finally paying off,” van der Winkel said. “After the tough qualification, I’m happy that my shooting was good and I could make it to the final. It makes me feel relieved but it’s not over yet. The game is still on for gold.”

The Dutch 21-year-old lost last year’s final in Türkiye to Brit Bryony Pitman.

Competition moves to the arena on Konyaalti beach in Antalya – for compound finals on Saturday and recurve finals on Sunday.