Hosts Türkiye will be busy on both finals days at the 2026 European Outdoor Championships, with both Hazal Burun and 2025 World Cup Final champion Emircan Haney making the gold medal matches in the compound competition.
Burun, who beat Shanghai champion Lisell Jaatma and new Danish star Sofie Louise Dam Marcussen on the way to the final, was clear about what lay ahead. “In the 2024 European Championship I won bronze in the individual category. So this competition has a special place for me,” she said.
”I trained a lot, mentally and physically. Some matches were really hard but I never gave up. I was determined to see the end. When you show resilience there is no match you can lose.” said the 21-year-old, who won a silver medal at this year‘s Spring Arrows tournament on the same field.
For her opponent Gellenthien, much decorated indoors and out, there was an even tougher route to the final. “Right now I’m still stressed, nervous and anxious. My bow didn’t show up. I shot with Sanne de Laat‘s spare bow all week and last night my bow arrived, so I didn’t have time to shoot with it before the matches.”
“At that point I had gotten used to the other bow, so it was kind of a mess. Today was weird. But you can’t control what the other person shoots and all I wanted to do when I left today was to be happy with what I shot,” said Gellenthien.
