Bangkok 2013: Top 10 archery athletes to watch

Here are 10 top names to keep your eyes on at the Championships, which begin on Friday (1 November) and run through 7 November.

With fond memories of the London 2012 Paralympics fading in our minds, the spotlight now turns to Bangkok, Thailand, for a week of intense competition at the World Archery Para-Championships.

Here are 10 top names to keep your eyes on at the Championships, which begin on Friday (1 November) and run through 7 November.

Timur Tuchinov (Russia): The double-Paralympic gold medallist comes into the World Championships as the biggest hope for Russia. The defending men’s team recurve open and men’s individual recurve standing champion will look to repeat the success of the 2011 World Championships. Tuchinov was welcomed home as a hero when he returned from the London 2012 Paralympic Games and he is under even more pressure to succeed again.

Danielle Brown (Great Britain): Arguably the most decorated para-archer in the world will look to defend the gold medal she won at the 2011 World Championships. The London 2012 Paralympics champion competes in the women’s individual compound open and is also scheduled to feature in the mixed team open compound, with both events likely to produce more success for her.

Zahra Nemati (Iran): Possibly the most popular Paralympian to come from Iran, Nemati won an individual award this year for her commitment and spirit using sport as a tool for positive social change. She set a Paralympic record on her way to gold in the women’s individual recurve W1/W2 at London 2012 and also collected a bronze medal in the women’s team recurve open. Having claimed gold at the last World Championships in the mixed team recurve open, she will be hoping to go one better than the silver medal she achieved in 2011 in the individual recurve W1/W2.

Jeff Fabry (USA): The American disappointed at the Arizona Cup recently, but his gold at the London 2012 Paralympics will have given him added confidence going into the World Championships. Fabry lost most of his right side in a motorcycle accident when he was 15 years old and credits his wife for getting him into the sport.

Jere Forsberg (Finland): Recently graduated from the high school of Karhulan, Jere is one of the youngest competitors at the World Championships at the age of 19 and won gold at London 2012 in the men’s individual compound open. Forsberg has been struggling since last year with his best finish coming at the World Archery 2013 Youth Championships, where he came 17th, but is not one to be ruled out of contention in men’s individual compound open.

Miho Nagano (Japan): After four consecutive top-10 finishes at ranked events, the Japanese athlete is in with a chance at the World Championships. However, it is a strong field with the likes of Danielle Brown competing in the women’s individual compound open.

Lung Hui Tseng (Chinese Taipei): He set his personal best on the way to a bronze medal at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, and if he maintains a similar level of performance, can repeat or better that feat in the recurve W1/W2 men’s individual event.

Marketa Sidkova (Czech Republic): The Czech athlete narrowly lost to bronze medallist Jinzhi Li at the London 2012 Paralympics in the women’s individual recurve W1/W2 event but has not competed competitively since then, perhaps putting her at a slight disadvantage.

Floreno Veronica (Italy): The Italian has shown consistent form going into the World Championships with four consecutive top-10 finishes making her a real threat to medal in the women’s recurve W1/W2 individual event.

Oguzhan Polat (Turkey): With good recent form in Paralympic qualifiers and the London 2012 Paralympics, he is one to consider for a medal. However with no competitive action since the games he has an outside chance in the men’s standing recurve event.

Hwa-Sook Lee (South Korea): She’s looking to better her silver-medal performance from London 2012 in the women’s individual recurve standing event and will most likely anchor what could be a very strong South Korean contingent in Bangkok.