Andrea Becerra scored a fantastic X in a shoot-off to end her World Cup gold hoodoo and finish on top of the podium at Central Florida 2025, the first stage of the year.
Becerra came up short in two World Cup gold medal matches last year, Shanghai and Yecheon, but dropped an excellent arrow in the shoot-off, centre right of the all important X ring against USA’s Olivia Dean, whose silver was her first World Cup individual medal.
The Mexican compounder was one point up, 116-115, heading into the fifth and final end in the compound accumulation system but at the last hurdle could not replicate her prior end’s perfect score (30), and shot a 28 whilst World Cup stage debutant Dean tied the scores by getting a 29.
Becerra had been here before, having lost to Jyothi Surekha Vennam in Shanghai via shoot-off but fended off her past demons to shoot an arrow in the right hand side of the minuscule X ring, ultimately more precise than her American counterpart’s 10.
“It feels great,” said a clearly emotional Becerra who beat compatriot and bronze medallist Mariana Bernal in the semifinals. “I wanted this moment. Since qualification I’ve been working for this and I’m so happy I get to take the gold home this.”
“I felt like that last 10 was a bit lucky, I was just so focused in the shoot-off. I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to shake,’ so I might as well shake it in the middle, and it worked out just fine.”
This is one major honour claimed by Becerra but there are two other bucket list items left to tick off for the 24 year old which both happen this year.
The World Championships in Gwangju, where she came so close to being crowned champion in 2023 after losing to Aditi Gopichand Swami, and the Nanjing 2025 World Cup Final where she is already guaranteed a place six months out as all four stage winners will be.
