Prowse keeps his cool to seal World Championship glory

Nerves may have taken hold at times but Steve Prowse managed to muster enough composure to win his third visually-impaired world archery title.

The 60-year-old led the way as Great Britain won their first two medals of the 2019 World Para Archery Championships in the Netherlands, the Stourbridge native defeating Italy’s Giovanni Vaccaro 6-2 to take gold in the men’s visually-impaired ²⁄₃ competition.

In the same event, Nicholas Thomas defeated fellow British archer Phillip Tranter 6-0 to clinch bronze but the day belonged to a triumphant Prowse.

“It was a bit shaky for a couple of arrows. I think the old nerves kicked a bit on the last two and then it came back again, so I was chuffed, you know. It was good,” said the GB veteran.

Prowse won his first visually-impaired world title in Cheongju, South Korea, in 2007 before repeating the trick in Germany in 2015, defeating Peter Price in an all-British gold medal match in Donaueschingen.

Meanwhile, Thomas’ bronze medal triumph was a repeat of his success over 60-year-old Tranter at last year’s European Championships in the Czech Republic.

The Welshman also came out on top on that occasion and he was delighted to maintain his medal-winning form.

“At the moment, it means everything because it’s what I’ve been training for and working and sacrificing things at home,” said the 41-year-old.

“I’m a European bronze medallist, so the feeling of translating from a bronze at the Euros to sustaining a gold at the worlds is massive.

“It’s just a reward for the hard work.”

There could be more success on the way for British archers in Den Bosch later this week, with the country’s compound women’s open team – Jodie Grinham, Jessica Stretton and Phoebe Pine – defeating Italy 230-224 to book their place in the gold medal match

They face off against China on Saturday.

(Picture: @worldarchery)