SportsLine.com wire reports
Sept. 22, 2000

SYDNEY, Australia -- After setting an Olympic record that was broken less than an hour later, the U.S. team was nearly perfect in a shoot-off to gain the bronze medal in men's archery Friday.

Paced by individual silver medalist Vic Wunderle of Mason City, Iowa, and Atlanta gold medalists Butch Johnson of Woodstock, Conn., and Rod White of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, the United States beat Russia 29-26 in the overtime round. Both teams tied 239 through nine rounds.

In the three-arrow shoot-off, Johnson and Wunderle each hit a 10 while White hit a nine, just one point from a perfect score. Russia ended with a total of 26.

The Americans had to scramble after wasting a seven-point lead with nine arrows to go.

In the quarterfinals, the Americans teamed for 255 points. However, South Korea, on its way to the gold medal, scored 258 less than an hour later. The previous mark was a 249 by another South Korean trio in 1996 at Atlanta, a team that lost to an American threesome for the gold.

Four years ago, Johnson and White joined individual gold medalist Justin Huish to gain the team gold. Huish resigned from his spot on the archery team after he was charged with marijuana possession earlier this year.

In the gold medal match, South Korea never was threatened. Jang Yong-ho, Oh Kyo-moon and Kim Chung-tae beat Italy 255-247.

In the quarterfinals the South Koreans bettered the American Olympic mark of 255 with 258 against Ukraine, missing the world record by two.

South Korea took three of the four medals, led by a sweep of the women, with record-setting performances in both team and individual competition.

The men, after taking the top three spots in the ranking phase, failed to gain an individual medal.