Twenty-six-year-old Turkish archer Öznur Cure Girdi solidified her status as a para archery star at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. She shattered the compound women's world record in the ranking round, surpassing a score of 700, and maintained her exceptional form throughout the elimination rounds.
Öznur clinched her first Paralympic gold by defeating Iran's Fatemeh Hemmati 144-141 in a thrilling final.
The match started with both archers tied in the first end, but as it progressed, Cure Girdi's precision with 10s and nines helped her build a 2-point lead. Heading into the final end with a 3-point advantage, she held onto her lead and secured the gold.
Cure Girdi dominated each match, confirming her role as the top contender. She was simply unstoppable. And she proved it.
“I believed in the medal already after the ranking round and my world record,” said the 26-year-old champion.
After her final arrow, Cure Girdi burst into tears of joy.
“I believed I would achieve it! And now it's around my neck! I'm so happy. I worked really hard for this. It's incredible!”
She celebrated her victory in a deeply emotional way, crying and shouting, yet managed to keep a cool head during the decisive moments.
“Actually, we worked very hard on this, too,” the newly crowned Paralympic champion revealed.
“We have a huge team, and we practice a lot with our psychologist. During the preparation period, we did many exercises to help me control my nerves. It really paid off during the competition,” Öznur explained.
“I applied all those techniques, tried to feel the pressure during my training, and then it was easier to manage during the competition. I was accustomed to it. I'm happy I could handle the pressure.”
Silver was awarded to Iran's Fatemeh Hemmati, who defeated defending champion Phoebe Paterson Pine in the semifinal. The British archer, however, missed out on a medal, losing to her teammate in a thrilling bronze medal match.
Jodie Grinham's remarkable run for the bronze medal earned her widespread applause and admiration, as she competed while 6.5 months pregnant.
Paterson Pine took the lead in the third end and maintained her advantage. She needed a ten to secure the bronze or a nine to force a tie with her final shot. Instead, she shot an eight.
“With archery, you have to shoot the last arrow. The match isn’t over until the last arrow,” Grinham remarked.
Grinham emerged victorious, landing two 10s to finish the match.
“I knew going into that last end that I needed to deliver good shots. I needed 10s. And, thankfully, that’s exactly what I did,” she said.
“I put the pressure on Phoebe, which is heartbreaking because she’s my teammate, but it worked in my favor. And that meant I came away with the bronze.”
Grinham celebrated her first individual Paralympic medal. Soon to become a mother, she firmly stated her intention to compete in the next Paralympics in Los Angeles, USA.
The competition in Paris continues with the W1 and compound men's elimination and medal matches on Sunday.
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