On target for gold: Love and archery at Essen’s iconic venue

ESSEN – A UNESCO World Heritage site is not your typical sports venue. Most couples do not get married in a former coal mine. But on an extraordinary opening day of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games archery finals on Friday, the magnificent Zeche Zollverein in Essen served up both.

The largest underground mine in the world before closing in 1986, the medal rounds of the archery competition are being staged beneath the iconic ‘Doppelbock’ winding tower, which is known locally as the ‘Eiffel Tower of the Ruhr Area’. It was perhaps fitting, then, that nearby a surprised German couple channelled the romantic vibes of the so-called ‘City of love’ for their wedding nuptials.

"We are the gold medals for each other, and it is certainly almost as nice as winning the gold medal in the archery final here," bride Tanja Rudenhaus told FISU Games News Service (FGNS).

"We are also very happy to have said ‘I do’ today after 13 years together, and she is the main prize that I have by my side," her now husband Stefan Dahlhoff said.

"As it is one of the world cultural heritage sites. You have to say, as someone from Essen, it’s a wonderful thing to be able to get married here at Zollverein."

Archers take aim

While Rudenhaus and Dahlhoff’s union unfolded on the sidelines, a blend of sport, culture and history took centre stage at the archery arena on a 12-match medal day.

"I looked around this venue and Yerin (Park, her teammate) told me that this was a very famous and important place," said Sooyeon Kim (KOR) gold medal winner in the women’s compound team.

"I thought about it more and I think it’s the most incredible and once-in-a-lifetime experience I’ve had in a venue."

India's Madhura Dhamangaonkar, who won bronze in the women’s compound team category, echoed Kim’s thoughts.

"There’s so much history attached to this place," said Dhamangaonkar. "The coal mine here was used in World War II – my brother told me that. So yes, I did some research before coming here.

"It’s quite a big thing for us to compete at an iconic venue like this in Germany."

Combining coal and competition

The Zeche Zollverein (pictured above) typically houses the Ruhr Museum and hosts festivals, guided tours and educational programmes.

For the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games, it has turned into a global hub for archery’s best university athletes.

"The international audience that comes here for an event like the FISU Games is simply fantastic," said Barbara Friederichsen-Mehta, who works at the Ruhr Museum.

"It's great to see such a diverse international crowd, and the age group is also fantastic – students."

After winning the bronze medal in the women’s compound team competition, Avneet Kaur from India had one more thing on her checklist.

"Before coming to this venue, which is hosting the archery finals, we were planning to visit the museum (Ruhr Museum) here.

"After we made the finals, we were very happy to see this place as our final venue. It felt good to play here and, better still, win a medal here. It’s a historic site, after all."

Hitting in tandem

For some competitors, a return to the venue proved golden.

"I was here last year for the European championship and to be back is really good," said Türkiye’s Batuhan Akçaoğlu, a men’s compound team champion.

"I won silver last year, and the gold medal today was the target for me. This is the perfect feeling."

The day’s highlights included Japan taking home two gold medals – one each in the women’s and men’s recurve team categories. India climbing up the medal table by winning their first gold of the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU Games – and Great Britain achieving their first archery medal at the FISU Games in over a decade.

"I wanted to win a medal, it’s the biggest competition I’ve done," said Hallie Boulton (GBR), bronze medallist in the mixed compound team category.

"I was so excited to come here because it’s such a big place and it means a lot. It was so exciting to see what it was like."

Archers and Cupid hitting the bullseye in tandem – a day like no other at a venue as iconic as it gets.

Archers return to action on Saturday, 26 July, when the fight for individual medals begins. Follow the action live here.

FGNS sn (Srity Nanthakumar) +pbh/cc/mb/ph

Photos: © Annesha Ghosh (wedding image) & Anthony Hanc / Rhine-Ruhr 2025