Triple success for British archers at European Para Championships

It was a medal-filled day for Britain’s archers at the European Para Championships in Pilsen with three pairings firing their way to the podium.

Silvers came for Nathan MacQueen and Jess Stretton in the compound mixed team competition and Victoria Rumary and John Cavanagh in the W1 mixed team – whilst recurvers David Phillips and Hazel Chaisty grabbed a bronze.

MacQueen and Stretton’s medal-winning performance got the ball rolling and couldn’t have come in more dramatic style, with a shoot-off required to become champions of Europe.

Facing off against Slovakia, both teams scored 150, with MacQueen and Stretton scoring 19 in the shoot-off but their opponents going one better to snatch victory.

Next up was Rumary and Cavanagh, who had earlier shot the highest team score – 139 – to reach the gold medal match against hosts Czech Republic.

The British duo again scored well with 135, but had to settle for silver with their Czech opponents recording an impressive 147.

Recurvers Phillips and Chaisty had beaten Italy in the shoot-off to reach the semi-final and were edged out by Poland to be drawn against Turkey in the bronze-medal match.

Again a shoot-off was required, with both British archers scoring ten to take the bronze in nerveless fashion.

In the individual categories, Rumary and Jo Frith will be going head-to-head for W1 gold on Saturday.

Top seed Rumary blazed past Russia’s Anna Ilina and Elena Krutova while Frith, ranked second, saw off Tereza Brandtlova of the Czech Republic and Italy’s Asia Pellizzari.

Visually impaired ²⁄₃ top seed Steve Prowse will also be going for gold. He beat teammate Nicholas Thomas 6-0 to earn his title shot against Giovanni Maria Vaccaro of Italy. Nicholas will face Britain’s Phillip Tranter in the battle for bronze.