Figueroa loses focus, faces ex-world champ

Athens (Via Glove Telecom) — She was right on target in an impressive start but her first-timer heart betrayed her in the end and Filipino archer Jasmin Figueroa found herself ranged against a former world champion in the women’s archery event Thursday at the Dekelia Complex.

In a gruelling 72-arrow ranking round, the 19-year-old Figueroa came off in furious pace in the first end of the event, firing 161 points in the first 18 arrows to go up to the 15th spot but she faded in the ensuing setto and finished 56th in the 72-woman cast.

Figueroa, a gold medallist in the last Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, completed the event with 600 points and will now face Russian Natalia Valeeva, the 1995 world individual champion and bronze medallist in the Barcelona Games, in the 64-woman knockout phase this Sunday.

"Okay lang ako noong start, shoot lang ng shoot, tapos nakita ko No. 15 ako, nawala ang focus at biglang kumalat ang bala," said the second year college student.

Competing in the event as wild card bet, Figueroa, who was 24th in the Madrid tournament a month before the Games, finished way below her average of 615 and would need a lot of spunk and grit to upend the 35-year-old Valeeva.

Three Koreans immediately underscored their dominance of the Olympic sport, sweeping the top three places with former world champion Park Sung Hyun emerging No. 1 (682), Lee Sung Jun second (675) and Sydney gold medallist Yu Min Jin third at 673.

Shooting on a outdoor field near the Athletes Village on a sunny windy day, the Filipino bet held her own in the early going but felt the rush of pressure and lost her touch in the stretch.

"Maganda ang start pero she faded probably because she’s a rookie and not used to this kind of competition. But we’ll try our best in the knockout," said national coach Henry Manalang.

Event officials later gave the Filipino archer a one-hour workout Saturday on the actual venue at the historic Panathinaiko Stadium before facing off with the Russian on Sunday.

"All she needs is to settle down, maganda naman ang form at movement kaya lang nawawala sa focus," said Manalang.

Despite finishing ninth in the ranking phase, Valeeva has the experience and heart to challenge the Koreans in the event. She was a member of the Russian team that ruled the world champonship in Riom, France in 1999 and runner-up in the 2001 Beijing edition of the tournament.

Manalang said he expected Figueroa to meet a veteran and bemedalled archer like Valeeva since the Filipino bet failed to make it to the top 30 but he said she would do her best.

"Magandang experience para sa kanya ito," he said.