Oznur Cure Girdi (Photo World Archery)
Oznur Cure Girdi topped compound women’s qualification at the Gwangju 2025 World Archery Para Championships with 703, just a point shy of her own world record.
Girdi was in ebullient mood after topping the list, well ahead of Sheetal Devi on 687 and Jodie Grinham with 682 in second and third spots.
“I came here to break my own record. Competing against myself for my own record made me very happy. That’s why I came here this week – to compete against myself. I came with all my courage,” said the Paris 2024 Paralympic champion.
”I’m very proud because we all believed in this together. No athlete can achieve success alone. I say this many times in many places. We’re giving so much to be here, we’re training so hard. That’s why I’m proud of my whole team, being here enjoying this moment right now.”
The first day of qualifications completed on Tuesday, with the recurve men and W1 women shooting in the morning, followed by compound men and women in the afternoon, Like most of the competitions in Asia this summer, conditions have been warm and humid.
Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham, gold mixed team medallist at Paris 2024, finished as third seed with 682. “I’m doing really well. I thought I’d be a bit disappointed with the score. I’m not used to shooting in this sort of heat, and also how the wind affects it, but it’s very ‘flippy’ so I’m actually really happy with how it went,” she said.
Grinham, who became the world’s first pregnant Paralympic gold medallist last summer, was characteristically keen. “I would like to medal in everything, but to be honest, I’m coming back from having a baby. I’m just here to see where I’m at against the rest of the world, to be able to push myself fully.”
Elisabetta Mijno topped the recurve women’s list with 641, just ahead of Paralympic champion Wu Chunyan with 639. Both were well ahead of the rest of the field, with the third placed athlete, China’s Wang Xueqian, 30 points behind with 609.
Another Chinese athlete, the experienced Zhao Lixue finished in pole position in recurve men with 658, with Paralympic champion Harvinder Singh in fourth spot with 645.
Zhao, who won the Asian Para championships this year, has a string of international medals going back a decade. “The atmosphere of the event is really cool. I felt confident and strong today and it payed off,” he said.
China also were in pole on the women’s W1 list, with 18-year-old Wang Liya, in her first international event, finishing on 656 ahead of Sarka Pultar Musilova with 653.
The competition continues with qualifications and eliminations tomorrow.
Top seeds: Recurve men
- Zhao Lixue – China – 658
- Gan Jun – China – 651
- Kholidin – Indonesia – 649
Top seeds: Recurve women
- Elisabetta Mijno – Italy – 641
- Wu Chunyan – China – 639
- Wang Xueqian – China – 609
Top seeds: Compound women
- Oznur Cure Girdi – Türkiye – 703
- Sheetal Devi – India – 687
- Jodie Grinham – Great Britain – 682
Top seeds: W1 women
- Wang Liya – China – 656
- Sarka Pultar Musilova – Czechia – 653
- Cen Mengkan – China – 620
