Another day of Finals at Minsk 2019 European Games.
Today were awarded Mixed Teams in Recurve and, for the first time ever in the Games history, also in Compound division.
An important day looking at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games too: first Continental places were assigned, at the end of Mixed Team competition.
ITALY wins gold medal for the second time in a row, after Baku 2015, thanks to Mauro Nespoli (gold medalist in Baku too) and Lucilla Boari, 5-1 in the final match against Great Britain (Folkard/Houston).
“I am very happy because I am very confident in my shooting and with my team yesterday and today too. Also, last week at the World Championships I shot twice and now is the same. I am feeling very well in this period, so I am happy that all the work I do in the past is working.” (M. Nespoli)
A strong way to the top of the podium after the shootoff arrows against Russia (19-17) and beating home-country Belarus 6-2 in the semifinal.
Germany takes third place (6-2 against Belarus).
Thanks to this winner, Italy gains another place for Tokyo 2020 in women class, so now they have 2 individual quotas (1 man and 1 woman).
“I’m happy, for her (Lucilla Boari, ITA) it is sure because we lost the opportunity with the team last week and we know that our level is higher. So we are happy, we are proud that now we have the quota also for the women, but we are looking always to Berlin (Tokyo 2020 qualifier) because as in the past we want three teams in Tokyo, so we work for this.” (M. Nespoli)
According to the qualification rules, the highest-place mixed team at these European Games qualified one place in both genders for the Olympics. Because Italy already had the men’s spot, only the women’s spot was added.
The men’s place is now made available in the individual competition in Minsk, meaning there are now two men’s and one women’s quotas on offer.
(These places are only made available to archers finishing in the top four.)
In Compound Mixed Team competition RUSSIA (Natalia Avdeeva and Anton Bulaev) takes gold medal after a shootoff final against Netherlands (18-17), De Laat/Schloesser.
“We are absolutely happy to win the gold medal. It was really exciting especially when we started shooting. But we managed with the weather conditions, with our emotional states.
“We think that the main reason for our result is feeling the support of our team and country. We want to win this medal for them. So we did it.“
In the bronze final, Turkey is the winner just for one point (153-152) over Croatia.
Next days will be dedicated to all Recurve and Compound Individual Eliminations; on Wednesday 26th June Women Finals and the day after all Men Finals.
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