Teenager Huang Wanping from Xiamen scored 110 points to take women's individual title of archery at the Chinese City Games in Wuhan, central China on Monday.

 

The 14-year-old Huang, who ranked 20th in preliminaries, outscored Zhang Yunlu from Nanjing by two points, lifting her first ever title in major domestic tournaments.

 

Yantai's Xu Jing shot down the bronze after beating He Xiaoqing from Nanchang in 107-103.

 

The victory really rejoiced the girl. "I just called my parents to inform them the win," said Huang.

 

It's a chilly day for archers to compete in the city swept by cold drizzle. "It's so cold today that I was shivering all through the eliminations, but it did not affect me much in my performance, " added Huang.

 

Huang started the final with three ten's and three nine's by midway, earning 57 points against Zhang's 55. Both shooters shrinked in the second half to draw in 53 points.

 

Zhang pulled out three ten's, but a poor seven was enough to cost her chance in the final.

 

Huang reached the semifinal as she outshot Shanghai Pudong's Qian Jialing, an athlete from national team, in 107-101.

 

"I was not nervous at all and I don't care what my opponents shoot. I just need to shoot one after the other until the very end," said Huang. "It's great I won."

 

In semifinal, Huang produced seven ten-point shooting, piling up 112 points to ease past He Xiaoqing's 101.

 

Huang secured his berth in final with one arrow saved. Huang built up five-point lead in half way in 55-50. After 11 arrows, Huang expanded her advantage to 10 points and a perfect ten in last arrow sealed her mark of 112.

 

Huang is in her first year of secondary school in Xiamen Sports School. She has been training on archery just for two years.

 

"Before I start practising archery, my parents prefer me to take training on taekwondo, but I don't like it.

 

"Then I find the sport of archery is something interesting, so that's why I undertake archery. Though it's a work very painstaking after I enter the province team, I enjoy training with my teammates every day."

 

Huang needs to run 2000 meters a day as part of regular training.

 

"I like to watch cartoon, soap opera and all sorts of books. Now I take my training on daytime and go along my education in the evening."

 

"My next target is to win the national outdoor championships next month, of course to win the opportunity of competing in Olympic Games is my long-term goal."

 

Huang's coach Liu Xianfeng tipped her as a potential to be among the top archers. "She performed very good technique and composure. She presented her best today in spite of the chill," said Liu, adding Huang's on the way of going up.

 

"It's only a start for her. She is so young and she still has defects on her technique, but she holds the inhesion to be a star someday if she keeps on well-knit training."

 

Three shooters from national team failed to impress with the best results reaching last eight. Qian Jialing of Shanghai Pudong, the 2005 National Games champion and twice World Cup titlist last year, fell down to Huang in quarterfinal.

 

Another national team archer Wei Miaomiao lost to Xu Jing from Yantai in quarterfinal with just 96 points against Xu's 110.

 

Wei's last arrow hit only one. It's likely to be a subdued shooting for she lagged five points behind before the last effort.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 30, 2007)