The USA win four team golds in Vegas

USA win four team golds: The senior team finals for the gold and bronze medals took place on Thursday at the Indoor World Championships in Vegas. The USA dominated the team competition, winning the four gold medals at stake.

Recurve Men Team: Gold Medal – USA (1) v Russia (3)

These teams had met at the 2010 World Cup stage 1 in Porec. USA defeated Russia in the 1/8 elimination round 223-208.

The USA is the defending champions (Brady ELLISON and Victor WUNDERLE were on that team, this year they have the addition of the individual finalist Jake KAMINSKI), while Russia had been 6th.

The Russian team competing today is BADENOV / BORODIN / TSYREMPILOV.

In the first end, the USA shot five 10s and a 9 by ELLISON to lead Russia 59-58. The gap stayed the same after two ends: 117-116 for the USA. Russia shot an 8 in the third end, but the Americans didn’t really capitalize on it and increased their lead by only 1 point before the last six arrows.

Russia put pressure in the last end with 10-10-10-10-9-10, but the Americans shot 9-10-10-10-10-10 for the gold medal, 233-231.

Hugh MACDONALD: That was a great match to watch, it was close all the way through. There were so many interesting things to keep attention on. Bair BADENOV shot a perfect 80 and in the last end, when the match was on the line, there were enough close arrows that it was a nail-biter.

Bronze Medal – Mexico (5) v Ukraine (7)

These teams have not met in the last 5 years. Mexico was the bronze medallist in 2009 (Juan Rene SERRANO is the only athlete remaining from that team), where Ukraine had been 8th. The Ukrainians took the lead 58-56. Their perfect second end of 60 (!) gave them a 7-point lead halfway through.

Mexico recovered 1 point in the third end, but Ukraine concluded with 59 points in the last end to win the bronze, 234-227. Hugh MACDONALD: That was a fantastic match to watch. The Mexicans shot pretty well but they were just outclassed by the extremely strong Ukrainian team.

Recurve Women Team: Gold Medal – Japan (4) v USA (2)

The USA has won the last three encounters between these teams, the last one being in 2010. The lineup of the US team was Miranda LEEK / Jennifer NICHOLS / Brandi DELOACH. Two of the Japanese shooters are left-handed. Both teams had a slow start, with the USA leading 55-54.

The Americans increased their lead to five points after two ends, and seven points after three ends. The Japanese had a great last end (58) but it was too late, and the Americans won the gold medal, 225-220. Hugh MACDONALD: The Americans have shaken off the jitters from the first end and they are settling in very nicely.

Despite a really strong finish from the Japanese team, the American won handily. DELOACH was the strongest shooter on the field for this match, dropping only two points out of her 8 arrows.

Bronze Medal – Russia (1) v Italy (3)

These teams have met twice last year. Italy won their last match, the semifinal of the EMAU Grand Prix in Boe (206-198), while Russia had won the quarterfinals of the EMAU Grand Prix in Antalya (219-212). Italians Elena TONETTA and Natalia VALEEVA are defending team champion from the Rzeszow Worlds in 2009 – their third teammate this year is Guendalina SARTORI.

Russia had been 3rd in Poland; Ksenia PEROVA and Natalya ERDYNIYEVA were on the team in 2009, they are joined this year by Dinara YANBARISOVA. The Italians took the lead 57-55 after one end. Only one athlete is shooting with aluminum arrows: YANBARISOVA.

The Italian archers en extended their lead by 1 point (115-112). The gap stayed the same after both teams shot the third end (171-168). The Italians shot so quickly that they had enough time to shoot 7 arrows and TONETTA put her last arrow down and had enough time to still shoot a great shot. The Russians gave the Italians a harder time in the last end, nonetheless the Italians won 228-226.

Hugh MACDONALD: The Italians are shooting more smoothly and with more confidence. When you’re under the pressure of a final, that’s when line-biting 10s end up being just close 9s.

That was an excellent match. The Italian’s smooth shooting gave them two more 10s and at the end of the match that’s what made the difference.

Compound Men Team: Gold Medal – USA (1) v France (2)

This is a rematch of the Turin World Championships quarterfinals. The USA had defeated France 239-231. The USA is the defending champions from 2009. Braden GELLENTHIEN had shot on that team – this year he is joined by Jimmy BUTTS and Reo WILDE. France has improved from the last Indoor Worlds: in 2009 they had been bronze medallists (Pierre-Julien DELOCHE is the only archer returning, the other two this year are Sebastien PEINEAU and Guillaume RUBBEN). The USA took the lead from the start, 59-57.

They scored 60 points in the second end and in the third, while the French shot 59 and 57. The USA led 119-116, then 179-173. The USA concluded the match with 59 for a victory 238 to 230 and the gold medal. Hugh MACDONALD: Americans came out with a job to do and they got it done. They dropped only 2 points out of 24 arrows in such a time limit and under the pressure of the home crowd. The French team shot pretty well but there was just no competing with the Americans today.

Bronze Medal – Canada (5) v Great Britain (3)

Two of the three Canadian team members have been individual world champions (PERKINS in 2011 and TRILLUS in 2007). Duncan BUSBY was part of the Great Britain team that won the silver medal at the last Indoor Worlds in Rzeszow. His teammates in Vegas are Liam GRIMWOOD and Chris WHITE.

The Canadian team suffered a 7 from Chris PERKINS in the first end, and trailed 55-59. The Britons gained two more points in the second end (118-112). Canada shot 60 points in the third end to recover four points before the last six arrows (174-172 for GBR). Canada concluded with five 10s and a final 9.

The Britons shot well under pressure (five 10s and a final nine as well) to win the bronze medal, 233-231. Hugh MACDONALD: It’s a shame about that 7, because the rest of the match was excellent. Great Britain shot a really consistent set of arrows (three ends of 59) and even most of their 9s were very very close. I think the right team won on the day.

Compound Women Team: Gold Medal – USA (1) v Russia (3)

This final is a classic. There have been 10 encounters between these two teams since 2006. The USA defeated Russia three times, including the last two matches, both times at the Shanghai World Cup (2010 and 2011). However Russia beat the USA in their most important match – the gold medal final of the 2009 World Championships (229-219). The USA are the defending champions from 2009.

Erika ANSCHUTZ was already on the team at the time. The other two members of the team this year are Christie COLING and Tristan SKARVAN. The Russian team consists of the 2009 and 2011 world champion Albina LOGINOVA, the individual finalist Viktoria BALZHANOVA and Natalia AVDEEVA.

Russia shot five 9s and only one 10 in the first end, allowing the USA to lead 57-55 after one end. The Americans extended their lead a little bit, leading 114-111 at the halfway mark. Both teams shot 57 points in the third end, moving the score to 171-168 for the USA. Russia started the last end with 10-10-10 but followed with 9-9-9.

The USA concluded with 58 points for a victory 230-226 and the gold medal. Hugh MACDONALD: What doesn’t come through in the scores for this match is the difference in group size. The Americans had more close 9s than the Russians, the Americans really shot better and they deserved this win.

Bronze Medal – Italy (4) v Great Britain (2)

This is the first match between these teams in recent years. The Great Britain had won the silver medal in 2009 (but the athletes present here, Andrea GALES / Naomi JONES / Nichola SIMPSON, did not compete in 2009). Italy had won the bronze (Laura LONGO was on the team, today she is joined by Katia D’AGOSTINO and Marcella TONIOLI).

Great Britain shot one more 10 in the first end and took the lead 56-55. They shot a good 58 point in the second end to increase their lead to 3 points, 114-111. The Britons had a shaky start to the third end but finished strong and increased their lead by 1 point (170-166). The Italians shot their last end really well, but it wasn’t enough. Great Britain won the bronze medal 227-224.

Hugh MACDONALD: It was a very even match from start to finish. The Britons won today but it could have just as easily gone the other way. Great Britain took the lead and just held on. The competition continues this afternoon with the junior and senior individual finals.