On the final day of the Taipei Archery Open, the afternoon was filled with excitement as the men’s and women’s compound bow gold medal matches, as well as the men’s and women’s recurve bow gold medal matches, took place. Chinese Taipei secured bronze and silver medals in the women’s compound category, while Chinese Taipei archer Chen Chieh-lun fell short against Dutch star Mike Schloesser in the men’s compound final. In the recurve events, Japan’s Ruka Uehara claimed gold in the women’s division, while Italy’s Mauro Nespoli triumphed in a tiebreak shoot-off to win the men’s title.
Chinese Taipei archer Chen Yi-hsuan started strong with five consecutive 10-point arrows, defeating her opponent 145–144. She shared that she was nervous at the beginning but thoroughly enjoyed the competition. Preparing for the World Championships qualifiers, Chen noted that although indoor and outdoor competitions feel different, her aiming precision met her expectations.
In the gold medal match, Chinese Taipei archer Chen Yu-ju faced India’s Jyothi Surekha Vennam. The Indian archer secured the gold medal with a score of 144–140. Vennam expressed her joy, saying, “I’m honored to compete here and thrilled to win the gold medal. It’s a dream come true after finishing second last year.”
Dutch archer Mike Schloesser, nicknamed “Mr. Perfect,” faced Chinese Taipei archer Chen Chieh-lun. Both archers shot perfect scores for the first nine arrows, but in the fourth round, Chen scored three 9-point arrows, allowing Schloesser to win 149–147. Schloesser, competing in Taipei for the third time, expressed his love for the city and his enjoyment of the tournament.
Chen reflected on his crucial fourth-round mistake, explaining that he had tried to relax but became too loose. He quickly adjusted in the fifth round. Having had limited international competition experience in the past year, Chen admitted he felt unaccustomed to the intensity of the match but was grateful for the opportunity to regain his footing in international events.
Japan’s Ruka Uehara faced South Korea’s Lee Eunah in a closely contested match. The two archers were tied 4–4 after four sets, but Uehara clinched the victory in the final set with a score of 29–28, winning 6–4 overall. Uehara, delighted with her performance, said she felt immense pressure every time she missed a 10-point arrow. She now turns her focus to Japan’s Asian Games team selection trials.
In a battle of Olympic champions, Italy’s Mauro Nespoli triumphed in a tiebreak shoot-off against South Korea’s Ku Bon-chan. Nespoli admitted feeling nervous during the match but used deep breathing to stay calm. He expressed his happiness at delivering his best performance and securing the victory.
