Shropshire's Penny Healey cashes in potential in Las Vegas

The 16-year-old saw off the challenge of several Olympians, including Britain’s Bryony Pitman, to be crowned women’s recurve champion, her first ever victory in a senior event.

“I’m so excited and happy, I never thought this would happen,” said Healey, a member of Newport’s Audco Archers. “I was so nervous that I didn’t think I’d get any points at all. It’s my first gold medal match as a senior. The win means so much, I don’t know how to explain it. I’m lost for words.”

After qualifying as one of the top 16 archers from the Nimes Archery Tournament and the Vegas Shoot, Healey edged past Pitman in a nail-biting first round, which went all the way to a shoot-off, the youngster progressing thanks to her final arrow landing closest to the centre of the target.

A more comfortable, 6-0 win over Laura Van Der Winkel of the Netherlands followed, before a 7-3 semi-final triumph over Colombia’s Ana Maria Rendon.

Victory in the final by the same scoreline over USA Olympian Casey Kaufhold then clinched the title.