BEIJING -- China and South Korea dominated the Beijing Paralympic archery field here on Monday, sharing the last two gold medals from the sport.
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Chinese archers Gao Fangxia (C), Fu Hongzhi (R) and Xiao Yanhong celebrates with their gold medals in the Women's recurve team archery event of the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing on September 15, 2008. [Xinhua]
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Gold medal of the women's recurve team event was taken by host China with 205 points, a new world record, five points higher than the previous mark also held by the team.
Chinese archers Fu Hongzhi, Gao Fangxia and Xiao Yanhong showed their sharpness in the quarterfinal by beating Germany overwhelmingly 187-164. The victory seemed not difficult as the rivals started with a zero, followed by five 5s scattered in the third, sixth and eighth series.
The semifinal was without too much suspension either. Although the Chinese started with just a decent 8-8-6, their Polish counterparts scored 7-7-3, 5 points behind.
The Chinese further enlarged their advantage as short-haired wheelchair archer Xiao Yanhong scored three 10s consecutively. The last series started from the Polish team, whose score was lower. When it finished, the total was 178.
Then bronze medalist Xiao shot. A fourth 10, which increased their total to 179. Even if Gao and Fu didn't shoot their team could win.
But the women achieved a 6 and a 9, ending the competition with 194.
People had expected that the final could be a fierce one, as the South Korean archers stunned the Czech Republic with a new Paralympic record of 199 to advance.
However, the archery powerhouse seemed to have lost its power from the beginning of the final, as the first series already saw a gap of eight points between South Korea and China.
Gao Fangxia, runner-up in women's individual recurve event who was the only one of the three standing to shoot, appeared most outstanding. In the first seven series she recorded three 10s and two 9s.
In comparison, South Korean archers seemed not in the shape. Before the last series, their score was 152, the same as that Chinese totalled a series before. Their difference, a prohibitive 27 points, seemed too big. Even if all of them scored 9 and all Chinese made 0, they still had to face a shoot-off.
But this was just imagination. In fact, a 7 by the Korean in the last series sent the host to top of the medal podium in advance.
Yet the Chinese women were not satisfied with just an easy victory. With their superb performance, 9-9-8, they also bettered the world record.
Spectators stood up to hurrah, while the champions bowed in gratitude.
"It was a pity for me to lose the individual gold to Lee Hwa-sook," said the 26-year-old Gao, "although South Korean archers are formidable, we also have the capacity. When united, I think we could beat them in the team event."
Xiao, who started archery just two years ago, said that she didn't expect to get the gold. "No matter in the quarterfinal or the final, we just concentrate in each arrow. Winning or losing, we just want to do our best, and enjoy the process."
While Lee Hwa-sook said, "we have made our efforts, and we are not disappointed even though we didn't win the medal." Her teammate Kim Ran-sook said, "our rival is too strong."
Men's incurve team event was also between South Korea and China, but this time, it was the host to be disappointed.
After the first two series, China boasted a slim advantage of one point. But later series saw the South Korean archers mustering up their strength to surpass. After series No.6, the score was 155-161.
As Chinese spectators were about to lose hope, South Korea encouraged them with a 9-7-6 in the seventh series, shortening the gap to just one point.
However, the Chinese failed to seize the last chance, especially Dong Zhi who performed as the best of the three to score three 10s and two 9s, just finish with a moderate 7. South Korea won. 209-206.
Cheng Changjie on wheelchair, one of the finalists who acquired gold in men's individual recurve w1/w2 on Sunday, showed a touch of regret after the final.
"South Korean archery team did quite well, but our score had been so close..." he said.
In archery events, China altogether bagged two gold, three silver and two bronze. "This is out of our expectation," said Cai Jianbin, coach of the squad, "our goal was one gold and one silver."
"South Korean archers have good psychological condition while competing. It is something that we should learn from them," he said, "but our archers are quite young, and promising."
