Sarti shoots 10 to secure world title and third Donau medal

“I was very nervous, particularly on the last arrow – as I knew that arrow would decide whether I won gold or not,” said Sarti. “Right now, I still don’t realise I won with that shot.”

Italian compound open para archer Eleonora Sarti was second seeded after the ranking round in Donaueschingen.

She beat Paralympic silver medallist Mel Clarke in the semifinals and set up a gold medal final with China’s Lin Yueshan, ranked fourth and the dispatcher of the top seed, Kim Misoon, in the previous round.

Eleonora led 84-79 at nine arrows shot – but that five-point lead disappeared in the fourth end.

While Yueshan casually dropped three arrows in the middle for a perfect 30 scored, Sarti was wayward. Her first arrow landed in the nine, her second low in the eight – and her third back in the nine.

Holding just a single point advantage heading into last series, Sarti found the middle again. She shot a nine after Yueshan opened with an eight – to extend her lead to two – then neither archer missed the middle. Eleonora shot her last arrow of the match needing a nine to win, and put it into the 10.

With it came the match, a gold medal and Eleonora Sarti’s first world champion title.

She had already collected two bronze medals in Donaueschingen, the first paired with Alberto Simonelli in the mixed team and the second in the compound women’s open team finals.

“I felt more secure alone in the arena,” admitted Sarti, perhaps surprisingly. “In a team, you must take responsibility for everyone in the team. In a team of two or three people, you work together and act as one. But if you’re alone, your responsibility is only for yourself.”

The two bronze medals Eleonora won in the team events were supplemented by bronze medals in the compound men’s open team event and recurve mixed team competition, on a day in which Italian archers won all their matches.

A first loss came for Sarti’s mixed team partner, Simonelli, who shot for his first individual world title in 17 years. He won the 1998 World Archery Para Championships but came up just short against Korea’s Lee Ouk Soo. Simonelli trailed going into the last end, finished with two nines, and nodded understandingly as his Korean opponent drilled a 10 with his last arrow to take the title.

Elisabetta Mijno added a seventh medal, and fifth bronze, when she beat Irina Rossiyskaya to the recurve women’s open podium, 6-4 – in a full, five-setter.

For Italy’s gold medallist in Donaueschingen, Sarti, it’s onto the next big appearance: “My friends at home have already started planning a bit party!”

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