The 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup season kicked off in style at the Konyaalti Beach Park in Antalya, Turkey. Featuring some of the world's most elite talent, the event set the tone for a historic season, marked by British dominance in the women's categories and the relentless precision of the Dutch world number one.
Recurve Events: A Breakthrough for Great Britain
The recurve competition was highlighted by a spectacular performance from Bryony Pitman, who spearheaded a successful week for the British squad.
- Men's Individual: Miguel Alvariño Garcia (Spain) secured his first individual gold in 24 World Cup appearances with a 6-0 victory over Australia's Ryan Tyack.
- Women's Individual: Bryony Pitman (Great Britain) won gold after a dramatic tiebreak shoot-off against Laura van der Winkel (Netherlands).
- Women's Team: The British trio of Penny Healey, Bryony Pitman, and Jessica Sagoo claimed gold by defeating Germany 5-1.
- Mixed Team: India’s Tarundeep Rai and Ridhi Phor came from behind twice to defeat Great Britain in a tense 18-17 shoot-off to take gold.
Compound Events: "Mr. Perfect" and Rising Stars
The compound disciplines saw established legends defending their turf while new faces made history on the international stage.
- Men's Individual: Mike Schloesser (Netherlands), known as "Mr. Perfect," defeated Adrien Gontier 148-142 to claim his first gold of the 2022 circuit.
- Women's Individual: Ella Gibson (Great Britain) became the first British archer in 12 years to win an individual World Cup stage gold, defeating Alejandra Usquiano 147-145.
- Men's Team: India (Abhishek Verma, Aman Saini, and Rajat Chauhan) clinched gold with a narrow 232-230 victory over France.
- Mixed Team: The Colombian duo of Daniel Muñoz and Sara López secured the pairs gold for their nation.
Key Takeaways from Antalya
- Great Britain’s Resurgence: Led by Pitman and Gibson, the UK squad walked away with multiple golds, signaling their return as a major podium threat.
- Spanish Success: Miguel Alvariño Garcia’s victory marked a historic return to form, booking his early ticket to the World Cup Final in Mexico.
- Indian Team Strength: Despite struggles in individual matches, India proved their depth by taking two team golds in the recurve mixed and compound men's events.
- Schloesser's Consistency: Mike Schloesser reminded the field why he is world number one, seeding top and winning his matches with clinical precision.