Archery competitor Maria Pitarch secured a women’s team bronze medal for Spain at the World Field Archery Championships in Yankton, South Dakota, diaridetarragona.com reported. Competing in the compound division alongside teammates Ana Cano and Iría de la Fuente under the banner of the Royal Spanish Archery Federation (RFETA), Pitarch competed against an international field through the closing days of September.
Opening Rounds and Semifinal Defeat Against the United States
The Spanish trio began their medal campaign in the quarterfinals with a hard-fought 55-57 victory over France. That opening win carried significant weight given the qualification standings, where the French squad had finished third compared to Spain’s sixth-place qualifying position. However, the path to the gold medal match ran into the tournament hosts in the semifinals.
Facing a powerhouse American lineup composed of Paige Pearce, Casey Kaufhold, and Erin Hollom, the Spanish team dropped the semifinal bout 51-62. The United States squad went on to claim the gold medal, while the defeat relegated Pitarch, Cano, and de la Fuente to the bronze medal playoff against Germany.
Victory Over Germany Secures the World Podiums
Germany’s team of Julia Böhnke, Svenja Herrmann, and Nora Kipferler reached the third-place match after finishing fourth in qualification with 1,714 points. Spain entered the head-to-head matchup looking to capitalize on their earlier momentum.
According to the RFETA, Pitarch’s precision with the compound bow proved decisive in breaking open a tight scoreline. The Vespella de Gaià archer placed several arrows directly in the center of the target while the German side struggled with a pair of outer-ring impacts. The reigning Spanish champion’s performance laid the foundation for Cano and de la Fuente to secure a 48-52 victory, sealing the bronze medal for the delegation.
Individual and Mixed Team Results in South Dakota
Beyond the team success, Pitarch featured in both the individual and mixed team compound brackets during the Yankton championships. In the individual qualification phase, she placed 20th with a score of 658 points.
The two competitors traded precise shots in a closely contested match before Steiner edged the decision 97-93, ending Pitarch’s individual run. In the mixed team competition, Pitarch partnered with José Manuel Prieto to finish 12th in qualifying with 1,138 points, missing the cut for the elimination rounds.
Transition to the World 3D Championship Stage
With the field archery events concluded, Pitarch turned her focus immediately to the World 3D Championship, which runs at the same Yankton venue through Saturday, October 3.
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