ARCHERY: Semra Lingard’s bid for Olympic qualification came unstuck by a single arrow at the Archery World Championships in Denmark.
She had to defeat Azerbaijan’s Olga Senyuk to make the final four in Friday’s mini-Olympic qualification event, with the top three earning their country a starting berth at next year’s Rio Olympics.
At the end of regular competition Lingard and Senyuk were locked at five-all, meaning a tie-break would be necessary.
The 25-year-old Queenslander shot a seven; Senyuk landed an eight. Lingard’s campaign was over by a single point.
It’s not the end of the road for the Australian women, who will get another chance at Olympic qualification through Continental events early next year.
And Lingard, a newcomer in the international arena, will be considered a strong chance following her performance at the World Championships.
The Australian men’s team has the luxury of having Rio tickets guaranteed, following their top eight finish in Copenhagen.
But while Taylor Worth, Ryan Tyack and Alec Potts did the heavy lifting this week, the positions they earned are for Australia, and not necessarily for them.
They will need to prove they are the form three when final selections are made next year.
Ross Solly for Archery Australia
Previously
Olympic door still open for Australia
ARCHERY: Queensland’s Semra Lingard will get another chance to book a place in Rio next year when she takes part in a mini Olympic qualification shoot-off at the Archery World Championships in Copenhagen on Friday night.
Six archers from countries who did not qualify teams for Rio will do battle for three Olympic qualification positions.
Lingard, who made the final 32 of the individual competition before falling to Germany’s Lisa Unruh, is likely to come up against an archer from Azerbaijan in the first round.
A win would move the 25-year-old into the semi-finals.
Australia has already qualified three men for next year’s Olympics, after Taylor Worth, Ryan Tyack and Alec Potts finished top eight in the team’s competition.
Meanwhile Worth went desperately close to a top eight finish in the individual competition overnight.
The London 2012 Olympian finished level with number one qualifier, Italy’s Mauro Nespoli, in their round of 16 match, but then lost on a tie-break arrow.
Western Australia’s Robert Timms was also beaten by a tie-break arrow in the final 16 of the men’s non-Olympic compound event.
ARCHERY AUSTRALIA
