3D archery – in which archers shoot foam animals at marked and unmarked distances – is one of the main disciplines in the sport of archery, and Dave Cousins (Standish, Maine) has now shown the world that he’s not just versed in target and field archery, but in 3D as well. Cousins led the competition from day one in the compound men’s category, gaining a substantial lead after day two. His experience in the sport and skill in this event helped him to the gold medal final, where he edged out Josef Csikos of Denmark to reach the top spot on the podium.
The achievement was a meaningful victory for Cousins, who has become the first archer in history in the World Archery 3D Championships, the World Archery Championships, the World Archery Indoor Championships, the World Archery Field Championships and the World Games.
More on the event, courtesy of FITARCO and World Archery Communications, can be found below. Photos and complete results from the event are available at http://www.sassari2013.it.
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Medals were decided in each individual and team 3D division over four-target head-to-head matches in Sassari, Italy. In 3D finals rounds, individual archers – in men’s and women’s compound, barebow, longbow and instinctive – shoot one arrow at each 3D target, while teams – made of one compound and one longbow archer, and either a barebow or instinctive athlete – shoot three (one each).
TEAMS
Italy’s women set the tone for this championships. In their gold medal match against France, Guila BARBARO, Sonia BIANCHI and Cynthia NOZIGLIA started strong to take a four-point lead, 25-21, after the first 3D target. They had surrendered it by the end of the third, and were staring down a three-point deficit. A final Italian push saw them squeeze past the French trio of COURPRON, CLUZE and PORTE, and close the match ahead, 103-101. Sweden took bronze, after beating Australia 97-91.
The host country’s men could not quite mirror their compatriots’ success. In their bronze match, BUCCI, SEIMANDI and POMPEO fell to Spain, 107-101. It was DENMARK who topped the podium, over Hungary, with a 102-93 win.
INDIVIDUAL
Living up to his billing, Dave COUSINS (USA) shot a perfect 44 in the men’s compound gold match, to beat József CSIKÓS (DEN) 44-38. Denmark had quantity on this podium, though, with Stig ANDERSEN taking third over Antonio POMPEO (ITA). Deborah COURPRON (FRA) took revenge on the Italians in the compound women’s event. She overcame her team-round counterpart, who had beaten her in that team competition, Sonia BIANCHI (ITA), 41-34, for gold. Another Italian took bronze: Irene FRANCHINI, of team Fiamme Azzurre.¨Another Fiamme Azzure athlete, Giuseppe SEIMANDI, could not repeat his victory from 2007 in the barebow men’s tournament – but added a silver to Italy’s tally instead. David GARCIAS (ESP) took gold, winning the final 37-31. Richard KOCOUREK (CZE) claimed bronze over Bobby LARSSON (SWE), 42-39. Italian Gloria VILLA found better success than her teammate. She took gold in the barebow women’s category over Jessica NILSSON (SWE), after a convincing 39-24 win. Neither Lina BJORKLUND (SWE) nor Cinzia NOZIGLIA (ITA) could gain such a sure advantage in the bronze medal match: they tied at 31-all after four 3D targets. Both archers hit a 5 in the decisive, one-arrow shoot-off – and NOZIGLIA’s was closer. ¨A gold-bronze combination came for Italy’s longbow men, too. Giacomo Luca FANTOZZI and Marco PONTREMOLESI took the medals, over Tomas HANUS (CZE) and Jozsef Molnar (HUN), respectively: and they were tight matches, at 31-28 and 26-24. The Italian’s nemeses, the French, returned with a vengeance in the women’s longbow. Sophie CLUZE won the world title over Guilia BARBARO (ITA) – final score: 29-26 – preventing the Italian from claiming a third crown, after golds in 2005 and 2007. Bronze went to Estonia: Ylle KELL beat Josefine DE ROEPSTORFF (DEN) after two tiebreaker arrows.¨
Austria had a monopoly over the instinctive gold medals: Wolfgang and Christa OCENASEK claimed one each. In the men’s competition, Wolfgang beat Austrian teammate Alexander PARSCHISEK, while Guiliano FALETTI beat his Italian teammate Enzo LAZZARONI for bronze. Christa, meanwhile, knocked out Nina Andrea STANDERHOLEN (NOR), 37-28, and defending-silver-medalist CAPRETTA lost bronze to Inmaculada GARCIA (ESP).