Para archers Saccoman and Lacová in dreamland

Italy’s Gabriele Saccoman and Slovakia’s Liliana Lacová were both in dreamland after qualifying for the Para archery final at the European Para Youth Games (EPYG) in Istanbul.

The due will battle it out for the Compound U23 Open gold medal on Friday (July 25) at the Cebeci Sports Complex after the sport launched the competition at the EPYG.

Saccoman said: “I feel amazing to reach the final as this is my international debut.

“It is a dream come true really. But I want to do as best as I can, I’m not dreaming of winning something.

“I’m looking forward to being the archer I expect to be.

“In the qualifications and the knock-out matches I was just concentrating on myself, not paying attention to anything else.

“I was just looking forward to my bow, my target. It was just me and the target, nothing more.”

The 18-year-old from Padua topped the rankings in the qualifying round before beating his friends and teammates Riccardo Giuseppe Bruno and Gabriele Pintus in the knock-out stages.

“They are my friends and it would have been better if we didn’t have to eliminate each other as it’s important to have a friendship in archery,” he added.

“They are both very good archers and they both can do the same thing as I did today.

“They were both making their international debut so it’s been an important tournament for them and for the entire Italian Para archery team.

“These Games are important for me and for my dream of competing in the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles (2028) and Brisbane in 2032.

“I have these dreams and I want too make them true.”

Lacová cried tears of joy after a comeback victory over Hungary’s Andor Kollár in the other semifinal.

The 20-year-old said: “Somebody pinch me! There were some expectations coming here, but I never ever thought I would be in a gold medal match.

"Whatever happens now it is okay because I have already got the medal. Whatever comes next is good.”

Kollar and Pintus will meet in the bronze medal match on Friday when all three finals in the Para archery are staged.