Sanne de Laat and Mike Schloesser shot a perfect final end to clinch compound mixed team gold at the fourth stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup season in Madrid.
The Dutch pair edged Korea’s So Chaewon and Choi Yonghee, 155-153, in hot and humid conditions at the Explanada Puente del Rey. The match was tied at 115 apiece going into the fourth end – but while Korea faltered, the Netherlands delivered.
Chaewon dropped a costly eight, while De Laat and Schloesser posted a flawless 40 to secure the win in style.
“The thing with me is once the match is finished, I forget all about it,” said De Laat, who landed four of her eight arrows in the 10-ring. “When I’m up there, I just try to keep my head as empty as possible which works pretty well.”
“I think once the last arrow went in the 10, I had goosebumps all over. Finally, we did it because apart from European Championships, we’ve done bronze and silver medals, but never gold.”
“This felt really great, especially since we’re trying to get into the Olympics as well, so it feels like a good omen.”
The victory rekindles the spark of the Netherlands’ Berlin 2023 World Championships title – but with the addition of compound mixed team to the Olympic programme at LA28, the stakes are now even higher.
But the compound game was changed in April as it was announced the mixed team event would be incorporated into the LA28 programme, an Olympic first.
Financial constraints had kept De Laat off the circuit in 2024, meaning she could not compete alongside Schloesser earlier in the season. But with Olympic qualification on the horizon – and now a World Cup win under their belts – both are aiming for more.
