Czech Republic’s Drahonisky wins second medal in archery

It was a day of glory for David Drahoninsky at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. The archer from Czech Republic won the title in the men’s individual W1 event and claimed his second medal in the Games, after getting a silver in the team competition. 

In the final, Drahoninsky beat Turkey’s Nihat Turkmenoglu 142-141 hitting a final 10 score after a 7 in the previous round. This was his second Paralympic gold, as he had won the same event at Beijing 2008. In total, now the Czech has six medals.   

“I did what I promised my father (to win two medals in Tokyo). I think he sees me and he is very happy,” the archer told Olympic Information Services (OIS) about his dad, who passed away two years ago.

“It was very hard (to win) but now is my dream. I did it”.

Another Turkish completed the W1 individual podium. Bahattin Hekimoglu defeated Mohammadreza Zandi, from Iran, 139-134, and took the bronze.

In the women's individual compound, British Phoebe Paterson Pine beat Chile's Mariana Zuniga Varela in a tight 134-133. Both archers were in their first Paralympic Games. 

“I feel like I'm living in an out-of-body experience,” she said.

The bronze medallist was Italian Maria Andrea Virgilio, who outscored 142-139 Stepanida Artakhinova, from the Russian Paralympic Committee.

After dominating the medal tally in the two first days, the Chinese team did not win a single medal in today's contests.

Archery competitions at the Yumenoshima Park continue on Tuesday, August 31, with the men's individual compound open and women's individual W1 events.