AUSTRALIAN MEN’S TEAM ONE WIN AWAY FROM RIO QUALIFICATION

The Australian men’s recurve archery team is just one win away from qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics, following a strong opening competition day at the World Championships in Copenhagen. The Australian men’s recurve archery team is just one win away from qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics, following a strong opening competition day at the World Championships in Copenhagen.  Led by 2012 Olympian, Taylor Worth, the Australian team finished the qualifying rounds in fifth place overall, with the top 16 countries all progressing to the next round.  Australia will take on Brazil, who finished 12th, with a win guaranteeing the Australian team three places at next year’s Olympics.  Worth, who for much of the qualifying round sat in second place in the 212-man field, eventually finished in 16th position with a score of 652.  Teammate Ryan Tyack, the 2014 World Indoor Champion, finished strongly to post exactly the same score, 652, to qualify 17th, while World Championship debutant, Alec Potts, finished a steady 36th.  The strong Korean team qualified in top position, ahead of Italy and the Netherlands.  The Australian women’s recurve team were unable to make the final 16, but World Championship debutant Semra Lingard and two-time Olympian, Deonne Bridger, have both made it through to the next round of the individual competition.  Lingard qualified in 48th position, while Bridger overcame a slow start to finish 76th.  Australia’s third competitor, Queensland’s Ingrid Brookshaw, finished 131st.  In the non-Olympic compound events, Western Australia’s Robert Timms qualified in 19th place, Scott Brice 34th and Pat Coghlan 43rd.  The men’s team finished 10th overall, while the women finished in 21st and missed the final 16.  Sherry Gale was the best of the Australian women, finishing in 35th, while Lou Redman was 70th and Ella Hugo 97th.