In an exhilarating showdown at Qinglong Lake Park, Mexico’s Andrea Becerra triumphed over Estonia’s Lisell Jaatma to claim the compound women’s title at the Chengdu 2025 World Games. Becerra secured victory with a score of 147 to 146 in a tightly contested final held on Saturday.
“It was amazing, I just had a lot of fun,” reflected Becerra, who had previously earned a silver medal in the compound mixed team event before this spectacular final. Her journey to victory included notable defeats of defending champion Ella Gibson and Colombia’s Alejandra Usquiano in earlier rounds.
The match itself took unexpected turns, especially in the opening end, when Becerra delivered a disappointing high score of eight. “I knew I had to lose hopefully no points after that, and I almost managed it,” she commented on her initial performance. “I just felt really nice and was hoping for the best.”
Determined to finish strong, Becerra regained her composure as the competition progressed. Jaatma began with a slight two-point lead, maintaining it until the fourth end, when her score dipped significantly, resulting in three nines that allowed Becerra to take the lead. Despite the pressure, both archers managed to shoot cleanly in the final end, culminating in Becerra’s hard-fought victory.
Expressing her feelings after the match, Jaatma stated, “I’m really happy. Of course I wanted gold; it was really close, but I’m still happy about my silver.” She reflected on her performance in the fourth end, noting frustration over her drop in scores. “I have to look back because the first two shots were pretty good,” she added, emphasizing the narrow margin by which she fell short.
For Becerra, this victory marks a significant turnaround. Her last individual World Games experience in Birmingham 2022 ended in the second round. “What’s changed? I think for sure my mindset,” the 25-year-old attributed her success to a positive approach. “I’ve just tried to enjoy every single day, repeating to myself, ‘you can do it.’ Everything is different about me. I’ve been working really hard, and it’s paying off.”
In the race for bronze, Estonia’s Meeri-Marita Paas secured a decisive win over Alejandra Usquiano, who struggled to find her form during the match after being defeated by Jaatma in the semifinals.
The excitement surrounding the 2025 World Games is far from over, as the competition will continue on Monday with recurve field qualifying events. Fans and participants alike look forward to more thrilling performances in the days ahead.
