Taipei, July 25 (CNA) Taiwan's recurve mixed team won gold medals at stage four of the 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup stage in Medellin, Colombia after outshooting the United States team in the final on Sunday.
Competing under the name Chinese Taipei, Taiwan's 32-year-old Olympic medalist Lei Chien-ying (雷千瑩) and 21-year-old Tang Chih-chun (湯智鈞) edged out USA's Casey Kaufhold and Jack Williams 5-4, following a shoot-off as both teams were tied on four set points.
In the shoot-off, Taiwan put up an incredible performance, knocking the lights out with two arrows hitting very closely to the center, while a 9 from Kaufhold meant the Taiwanese duo topped the podium.
Lei, who could have won the game without going into a shoot-off with a final arrow 10, but instead shot a 9, said her team had a good performance throughout all the stages of the tournament, the result of teamwork and team spirit.
"I'm very happy with our final and winning the gold medal," Lei said. "Today's gold medal is good for my self-confidence for the future."
Lei, an Olympic team bronze medalist from Rio 2016 and gold medalist in both women individual and team recurve at the Hyundai World Archery Championships in 2019, is considered one of the most successful athletes in the history of Taiwan archery.
Meanwhile, Kaufhold said her last shot felt good as the string came off her finger, leading her to feel it was going to the center, but it ended up being a high right 9.
"You've just got to roll with what you have. We had 10-9 which by no means is bad. Just Chinese Taipei got 10-10," Kaufhold said.
"I'm a little sad because I shot the nine, but it was a good match," Kaufhold added.
The Medellin 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage four, held July 18-24, is one of four events of the 2022 Archery World Cup.
Taiwan finished the World Cup with four golds, one silver, and two bronze.
