WUHAN, Central China, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Teenager
Huang Wanping from Xiamen scored 110 points to take women's individual title of
archery at the Chinese City Games here on Monday.
The 14-year-old Huang, who ranked 20th in
preliminaries, outscored Zhang Yunlu from Nanjing by two points, lifting her
first ever title in major domestic tournaments.
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Huang Wanping of Xiamen competes during
the women's individual final of archery at the 6th Chinese City Games in
Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 29, 2007. Huang won
the title with 110 points. (Xinhua Photo)
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Yantai's Xu Jing shot down the bronze after beating
He Xiaoqing from Nanchang in 107-103.
The victory really rejoiced the girl. "I just called
my parents to inform them the win," said Huang.
It's a chilly day for archers to compete in the city
swept by cold drizzle. "It's so cold today that I was shivering all through the
eliminations, but it did not affect me much in my performance," added Huang.
Huang started the final with three ten's and three
nine's by midway, earning 57 points against Zhang's 55. Both shooters shrinked
in the second half to draw in 53 points.
Zhang pulled out three ten's, but a poor seven was
enough to cost her chance in the final.
Huang reached the semifinal as she outshot Shanghai
Pudong's Qian Jialing, an athlete from national team, in 107-101.
"I was not nervous at all and I don't care what my
opponents shoot. I just need to shoot one after the other until the very end,"
said Huang. "It's great I won."
In semifinal, Huang produced seven ten-point
shooting, piling up 112 points to ease past He Xiaoqing's 101.
Huang secured his berth in final with one arrow
saved. Huang built up five-point lead in half way in 55-50. After 11 arrows,
Huang expanded her advantage to 10 points and a perfect ten in last arrow sealed
her mark of 112.
Huang is in her first year of secondary school in
Xiamen Sports School. She has been training on archery just for two years.
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Huang Wanping of Xiamen gestures during
the awarding cermony of the women's individual final of archery at the 6th
Chinese City Games in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province,
Oct. 29, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)
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"Before I start practising archery, my parents prefer
me to take training on taekwondo, but I don't like it.
"Then I find the sport of archery is something
interesting, so that's why I undertake archery. Though it's a work very
painstaking after I enter the province team, I enjoy training with my teammates
every day."
Huang needs to run 2000 meters a day as part of
regular training.
"I like to watch cartoon, soap opera and all sorts of
books. Now I take my training on daytime and go along my education in the
evening."
"My next target is to win the national outdoor
championships next month, of course to win the opportunity of competing in
Olympic Games is my long-term goal."
Huang's coach Liu Xianfeng tipped her as a potential
to be among the top archers. "She performed very good technique and composure.
She presented her best today in spite of the chill," said Liu, adding Huang's on
the way of going up.
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Huang Wanping (C) of Xiamen, Zhang Yunlu
(L) of Nanjing and Xu Jing of Yantai wave to the spectators during the
awarding ceremony of the women's individual archery at the 6th Chinese
City Games in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 29,
2007. (Xinhua Photo)
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"It's only a start for her. She is so young and she
still has defects on her technique, but she holds the inhesion to be a star
someday if she keeps on well-knit training."
Three shooters from national team failed to impress
with the best results reaching last eight. Qian Jialing of Shanghai Pudong, the
2005 National Games champion and twice World Cup titlist last year, fell down to
Huang in quarterfinal.
Another national team archer Wei Miaomiao lost to Xu
Jing from Yantai in quarterfinal with just 96 points against Xu's 110.
Wei's last arrow hit only one. It's likely to be a
subdued shooting for she lagged five points behind before the last effort.
