An impeccable performance saw James ‘Jimmy’ Lutz seize Hyundai Archery World Cup Final gold in the compound men, beating last year’s champion Mathias Fullerton in Tlaxcala, Mexico.
The American was flawless on the shooting line throughout the day, dropping perfect scores in all three of his respective matches (quarter finals, semi finals, final).
It was Lutz’ fourth time in a World Cup Final but before Saturday afternoon he had never made it past the first round in the ultimatum of archery’s premier international circuit.
“I don’t even know how I feel now,” Lutz told archery+ soon after his victory where he also revealed an illness leading up to it. “I really took it one arrow at a time. I got sick the past couple of weeks so I feel weak, but I had to keep 100 per cent focused and I think that’s why the scores were what they were.
“This is the first time I’ve ever made it past the first round so, I got that done and then there was no looking back.”
With eight of the world’s best men compound archers in appearance, the bar was always going to be high, and athletes regularly shooting perfect scores is something of little surprise at this level.
Lutz, who qualified through his world ranking position at number three, made sure of that from the very beginning.
After his first 150 of the day defeating Austrian Shanghai 2024 gold medallist Nico Wiener, Lutz was met by ‘Mister Perfect’ himself Mike Schloesser in the semi finals, with the world number one having won four World Cup Finals previously.
But the 26 year old was not fazed one bit by the history of his Dutch counterpart, having no issues with the sunlight, wind, pressure or any other variables that often come in elite archery.
Two nines in the second and fourth end by recently crowned 2024 World Field champion Schloesser paved the way for Lutz to guarantee a place on the podium as he won 150-148.
Had it not been hard enough, reigning World Cup champion Fullerton was what stood in the way between Lutz and gold, with the Dane having also coming off a perfect score victory himself against India’s Prathamesh Bhalchandra Fuge, albeit in a shoot off.
Again unwavered, Lutz’s quick, snappy draw took Denmark’s Fullerton all the way to a deciding final end with both not missing a 10 in the four prior.
World record holder Fullerton was the first to blink, dropping a costly nine in his second shot to give Lutz a golden opportunity which he took as he fired his final arrow of the day into the centre ring, his 45th consecutive 10 of the day, capping off a remarkable 2024 season which also saw him become the Indoor World Series champion.
“It’s been crazy, a crazy year. I’m super happy to end it this way,” he added. “I love this city, I’m super happy to be back here.”
One of Lutz’s victims en route to glory Schloesser, who had his wife and Netherlands recurve archer Gaby Schloesser in the coaching box, picked himself back up in the bronze medal match to convincingly defeat Fuge 150-146, with Mister Perfect winning his second straight bronze in World Cup Finals.
The action continues later in Tlaxcala with the compound women finals taking place before tomorrow’s recurve finals.
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