GB archers strike gold, silver and bronze at World Cup in Paris

GB mixed category competitors (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)GB mixed category competitors (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)
GB mixed category competitors (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)

GB archers on target

Great Britain’s archers have continued their international success, coming away with gold, silver and bronze medals at the Paris 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 3.

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Ella Gibson secured the gold medal in the Individual Women’s Compound matches. Gibson, alongside Layla Annison and Liz Foster scooped silver in the Compound Women’s Team event, whilst Gibson and Adam Carpenter also took bronze in the Compound Mixed Team event.

GB mixed category competitors (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)GB mixed category competitors (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)
GB mixed category competitors (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)

Penny Healey also made the final four in the Women’s Recurve Individual competition.

Commenting on Great Britain's success in Paris, Archery GB Performance Director, Tom Duggan said: “There were some outstanding performances this week. Special mention to Ella Gibson for winning her second World Cup title of the season and now moving up to second in the World Rankings. It was also brilliant to see Adam, Lizzie and Layla also coming away with medals on the compound side.”

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“Penny Healey did fantastically well to get through to the medal matches at only her 3rd World Cup. Although she will be disappointed to have not come away with a medal, she continued to show her potential by beating the Olympic champion and then acquitting herself brilliantly in the semi and final.”

Ella Gibson breaks European Record and takes Gold in Women’s Individual Compound

Medal winner Ella Gibson (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)Medal winner Ella Gibson (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)
Medal winner Ella Gibson (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)

It was a busy weekend for Gibson, 22, from Cirencester, who also broke the European Record, topping qualifying rounds in the compound events. With a score of 712 out of a possible 720, she broke the previous European record of 711 for the 72-arrow 50-metre rounds - a record she herself had set at the Arizona Cup just two months ago.

22-year-old Gibson then went on to win gold in the Individual Compound Women’s competition, silver in the Compound Women’s Team matches and bronze in the Compound Mixed Team.

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Gibson, who also won gold at the Antalya Hyundai World Cup 2022 in Turkey in April, said: “I always make goals for the year, how I want to finish in events and my world ranking.

“Winning gold wasn't even on the list for this year, so to win it twice feels incredible. I am really really happy to take another win in Paris and I can't wait to do some more competitions this year and go towards the World Games.

“To walk away with three medals today is amazing. I am so proud of all of my teammates and how they shot today.

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“Shooting with them this week has been an absolute pleasure. Also a massive thank you to all of the coaches here this week, both here and at home. They have done so much for me; they'll never even know it."

Competing together for the first time as a Compound Women’s Team, Gibson was joined by 19-year-old Layla Annison from Norfolk and Elizabeth Foster, 30, from South Tyneside’s Cleadon Archers. The team demonstrated the exceptional young talent that resides in the Archery GB team, securing yet another archery medal for GB in 2022.

Proud medal winners at the Archery World Cup in Paris (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)Proud medal winners at the Archery World Cup in Paris (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)
Proud medal winners at the Archery World Cup in Paris (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)

Annison said: “It felt absolutely amazing to shoot on the finals field. It was such a wonderful and pretty location.

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“There were definitely nerves, but I felt I managed them quite well and the shots flowed nicely. So pleased with the silver medal.”

The GB women's team at the Archery World Cup (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)The GB women's team at the Archery World Cup (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)
The GB women's team at the Archery World Cup (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)

Foster added: “Nothing can prepare you for how it feels to shoot on a finals field at an international but the National Tour is probably the best preparation I can think for it.

“Someone once told me that even if you are nervous, you can still put them in the middle. I just stuck with that memory and it helps me keep my focus.

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“I really enjoyed shooting with Layla and Ella and I think we have a good dynamic. We are three very different individuals with very different styles of shooting but we work great with each other.”

Gibson was joined by teammate Adam Carpenter, 19, from Barnsley Archery Club, in the bronze medal match for the Compound Mixed Team event, coming out on top against the Estonian team.

Adam Carpenter at the World Archery Cup in Paris (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)Adam Carpenter at the World Archery Cup in Paris (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)
Adam Carpenter at the World Archery Cup in Paris (photo: Dean Alberga, World Archery)

Carpenter said: “It feels absolutely outstanding. I feel great about it, Ella and I shot amazingly.

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“The team dynamic was amazing. I personally struggled a bit to find the middle, my shots were breaking good.

“Luckily Ella backed me up by shooting 10s. Ninth place individually and third mixed team. At the age of 19, I can’t really argue with that. Amazing week, amazing people, amazing finals field.”

And while she narrowly missed out on a medal this time round, British 17-year-old Penny Healey delivered the performance of her life on Friday afternoon in Paris, beating reigning Olympic Champion An San and former World Archery Champion Lei Chien-Ying in back-to-back matches to make the final four in the Women’s Individual Recurve event.

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Healey, from Newport, Shropshire, was part of the gold medal winning women’s recurve team in Turkey in April.

Continuing the 2022 success for Great Britain’s archers

Great Britain’s success in Paris adds to the fantastic accomplishments already achieved in 2022, including the three gold medals won at the Antalya Hyundai World Cup 2022, with Ella Gibson winning the Compound Women’s Individual matches, Bryony Pitman securing top spot in the Recurve Women’s Individual competitions and the Recurve Women’s Team also taking gold.

Earlier this month, the GB women’s compound team (Ella Gibson, Izzy Carpenter and Jess Stretton who won Paralympic Gold at Rio in 2016) put archery’s renowned inclusivity into practice as they brought home gold at the European Championships in Munich. While Izzy secured her second gold of the tournament, winning the final of the Compound Women’s Individual competitions.

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