On the final day of the 2023 Indoor World Series – Taipei Archery Open, the U12, U15, and 50+ recurve bow bronze and gold medal matches took place on the morning of the 10th. The host team dominated all gold medals in the morning session, while Adrian Ruzsicska from Singapore claimed victory in the 50+ category. With nearly two years of archery experience, he expressed his determination to return next year.
The U12 boys’ gold medal match, local archer Liao Li Xuan started and ended the match with perfect 30s, securing a 7:1 victory over his Chinese opponent. In his debut international competition, he brought home the gold medal, stating, “I was a bit more nervous than usual because there were athletes from other countries.” After the match, he received praise and a badge from the Chinese team, fostering friendship. Hailing from Ji-An Elementary School in Hualien County, Liao has indigenous heritage, with his mother belonging to the Atayal tribe. He expressed joy at the live broadcast of the competition, as it provided an opportunity to be on camera.
In the U12 girls’ category, a thrilling comeback unfolded as You YU-Tong, trailing 1:5 after the first three rounds, staged a comeback by winning two consecutive matches, forcing an extended shoot-off. With Hau Yung-Hsien shooting a 10-point arrow first, You YU-Tong responded by hitting the inner 10, securing her first individual gold medal in her career. Despite feeling nervous during the shoot-off, she focused on aiming closer to the center and expressed joy over the victory. You YU-Tong, from Dong’ao Elementary School in Yilan County, joined the school team in second grade and had previous international competition experience. However, this was her first participation in an indoor competition, and she noted the importance of precision in movements due to the 18-meter distance.
In the U15 boys’ category, Chang Yu Cian secured the gold medal by defeating Gao Deng Hong with a score of 7:1 in just four rounds. He described the experience as enjoyable, emphasizing the proximity of the targets, which prevented significant score gaps between competitors. Chang Yu Cian, who shot 12 arrows with only 2 scoring 9 points and the remaining 10 achieving full points, expressed nervousness, attributing it to slight imperfections in his movements that could cause arrows to stray far. Despite the nerves, he approached the competition with anticipation, aiming to engage with international participants in his first-ever international event. Chang Yu Cian highlighted the lessons learned, emphasizing the importance of shooting confidently and trusting oneself.
In the U15 girls’ category, it was a familiar showdown between opponents. Li Tzu Ying trailed 1:3 initially but gradually caught up and surpassed Wang Nai-Hsin . Ultimately, in the fifth round, after shooting a tie, Li Tzu Ying secured victory with a score of 6:4. Reflecting on their history, she mentioned, “This is our fifth encounter, and I had only won once in elementary school.” Despite experiencing nervousness and trembling due to the live broadcast, Li Tzu Ying expressed happiness and enjoyment, emphasizing that she doesn’t focus too much on winning or losing.
In the 50+ category, attracting skilled archers from various countries to Taipei for friendly competition, Adrian Ruzsicska representing Singapore finished strong, winning the gold medal with a score of 7:1. At the beginning of the competition, he humorously remarked feeling a bit nervous and light-headed, struggling to find the shooting line. However, as the match progressed, he stabilized and was able to shoot four 10-point arrows in the gold medal match of this international competition, creating special memories.
Adrian Ruzsicska actually started archery less than two years ago. Initially, he got involved in the sport after watching the archery events at the Tokyo Olympics with his daughter. Intrigued by this passionate sport, he decided to join a club, stating, “I thought I’d give it a try, and then I fell in love with it.” In this competition, he participated alongside his two daughters, becoming an admired figure in the club. Last year, their team created wonderful memories in Taipei, and he expressed excitement about the Taipei Archery Open being organized again. He praised Taipei as a beautiful place, thoroughly enjoying his time here. During their visit last year, they explored night markets, indulging in delicious local food, and found the people to be warm and friendly. Last night, he even took the time to visit the Shilin Night Market.
