ARCHERY: After days of training and preparing for competition, Archery got underway today with the ranking rounds for the mixed international events at the second summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Nanjing, China.
Jessica Sutton and Nick Turner stepped up to the line this morning, in an effort to qualify highest for this afternoons mixed international.
The 17-year-old shot a score of 618 which gave him the 20th spot, he said he could have shot better but it’s been on par with his shooting of late.
“I would like to have shot better, I had a few ends that really cost me and there were probably another 20 points in there if I had kept my focus through a couple of crucial shots. But it is what it is, it’s only the ranking round,” Turner.
“Maybe it’s just the pressure of the competition and nerves. What I shot today was probably pretty similar to what I’ve been shooting throughout the week,” Turner said.
On moving into the mixed international event...“It’ll be good to talk to another country, compete with another country and shoot well. It’ll be nice to shoot in a good team environment while we’re there,” Turner said.
In the mixed international event, Turner was unsuccessful in making it past the round of 16 elimination round, going down in his match 6-2.
In the morning’s session, Sutton qualified 20th with a score of 624 but was adamant there’s more in the tank.
“I’ve been shooting pretty well at training all this week and back in Australia and I think I just let everything get to me, I sort if got too tense,” Sutton
In the mixed event, Sutton was partnered with Italian, Elia Fregnan. The two shot strongly and were successful in their elimination match, taking it out 5-3.
Sutton and Fregnan will now compete in the round of 8 on Sunday morning.
“I’ve been hoping for a medal in it [mixed], I guess that’s still the main aim but we’ll see,” Sutton said.
Tomorrow morning will see the individual event begin with the round of 16 elimination round. Both Turner and Sutton will be hoping to put together the best possible performance to give them a shot at the gold.
Sam Rawlings
Olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam
