U.S. archers shrug off compound bow challenge

U.S. archers shrug off compound bow challenge

JAKARTA (JP): The United States benefited from its experience
to establish world records in the compound division at the 38th
World Archery Championships yesterday.

Gary Broadhead, Tom Crowe and John Vozzy finished first,
second and third to orchestrate a world record mark of 3,978.

Their female teammate, Michelle Ragsdale, the winner of the
compound bow division at last year's World Field Championships in
Vertus, France, also set a world record from 30m with 347 to nail
a total of 1,329, her second world mark yesterday.

Second to her was Chinese Taipei's Lin Shih-Chien who scored
1,324. Ragsdale's teammate, Inga Low, came third with 1,320.

Vice president of the world archery body Donald Lovo said the
Americans' scores were considered world records because they were
set at the first world championships ever to include the compound
bow division.

Meet organizers failed to announce the final results after the
qualifying rounds in both the men's and women's Olympic divisions
due to computer breakdown.

"We are fixing the computers. We don't know exactly what
happened with them," Parsi, a public relations staff member on
the committee said.

The U.S. head coach, Michel King, said he was not surprised
with his teams' brilliant performance.

But Ragsdale could not hide her delight. "Today is a good day
for me," a modest Ragsdale told The Jakarta Post, adding that she
had prepared for the Jakarta meet for only three months.

Her excellent performance can be traced to her lifelong
involvement in archery. Ragsdale has been shooting since she was
seven year old. In all, she has been friends with her arrows for
22 years.

"I hope the compound bow division will be included in the
Olympic Games by the year 2000," she said.

Natalia Valeeva of Moldova clawed her way back to hand
favorite South Korea an early shock when she took over the lead
in the qualifying round of the women's individual Olympic
division.

Valeeva produced a superb comeback from 10th place to outclass
the South Korean trio in the third compulsory shooting distance
yesterday. Valeeva shot an emphatic score of 338 from 50-meter to
dethrone the South Koreans as they head toward tomorrow's medal
race.

The Moldovan completed the three compulsory distances with 986
points, followed by South Koreans Youn Youn-ja, Kim Jo-sun and
Hwang Jin-hae who scored 982, 981, 980 respectively.

If Valeeva manages to maintain her lead, she will start
today's elimination competition as the top seed and will play
Joanna Novicka of Poland in the first round.

"I don't know why today they (the South Koreans) did not
appear as strong as they usually are. Perhaps this is just a
tactics. Let's see who's better tomorrow," Valeeva told the Post.

"We may miss the first place but the game isn't over yet,"
South Korean head coach Lee Ki-sik said. "My archers did not play
in their top form," he added.

Lee is fielding new faces in place of South Korea's triumphant
1993 championship team.

The South Korean women made up for their failure in the
individual event, topping the team's standings with a massive
score of 2,943. Turkey trailed with 2,913.

Valeeva's outstanding feat, however, was meaningless to her
team. The Moldovan squad finished 17th, five places behind the
Indonesian trio. Only 16 teams are eligible for the medal race.

Indonesian women's archers made it to today's medal race in
both the individual and team events. Those who make it through
the day will assure themselves of berths at the Olympics.

Only Hamdiah, who scored 941 for 32nd place, appeared to have
a chance as she prepares for her first-round battle against Yang
Chun-chi of Chinese Taipei who placed 33rd yesterday.

"I don't think tomorrow's game will be that easy. Yang and I
have a very close margin," Hamdiah commented. (arf/amd)