The 2022 World Games is taking place this week in Birmingham, Alabama, where the compound archers have completed their first day of competition.
Birmingham, Alabama played host to an amazing, yet very hot, qualification round. The athletes battled through the heat to find out where they would finish in the rankings. Lone Great Britain compound archer, Ella Gibson, shot 699 point in her qualification round. This placed her in 9th ahead of the individual eliminations.
”The World Games was definitely a different but amazing experience to be a part of. Being at a multi-sport event was for sure unique, and having a roommate from a totally different sport was really different but also really nice to get to know other people,” Ella said.
The 1/16 round was up first where Ella faced 24th ranked Wendy Gardner from USA. Ella got to a flying start, winning the American 146-131. Her next match for the 1/8 round was against New Zealand Archer Elizabeth Randle. Ella opened with two 30 ends to take an early lead, finishing the match on 148-143.
In the quarter finals, Ella faced 1st ranked Danish archer Tanja Gellenthien. After two ends, both women were tied on 60 points each. In end number 3, Gellenthien dropped a 29 end, but Ella continued her run of 30s. This continued for all 15 arrows, winning Ella the match with a perfect 150 to Gellenthien's 147.
Â"I've learned to stay hydrated and slowly breathe and walk in the heat, because the heat here has been horrific. It's been really hot and humid, and that's definitely been a struggle all week. But I actually think we've coped with it pretty well, especially for people from the UK,” Ella told us.
Next up in the semi-finals, Ella faced the 26th world ranked American, Paige Pearce. The women drew their first end on 29 each, and then Ella gained a point advantage in the second end, 59-58. In end four, Ella extended this lead another point, going into the final three arrows on 118 to Pearce's 116. The American came back strong, putting down a perfect 30 to Ella's 28 to take the match to a shoot-off on 146 points each. Both archers shot a 9, however Ella's was the closest to the centre, sending her into the gold medal final.
Ella's last match of the competition was against the world number one, Sara Lopez from Colombia. She opened up strong with a 60 for the first two ends verses the Colombian's 59. In end three, Ella dropped in a 28 end, however luckily Lopez shot a 27, giving Ella a two point lead. From this point on, Ella didn't drop another point, shooting a 148 to Lopez's 142 to take the gold medal.
I knew it was going to be a really hard event to win or even win a match in because every match will be like a medal match when there's only 24 competitors. So knew it was going to be tough, but I'm very happy to have come out with a gold medal,” Ella said.
