The Les Archers Beaucairois club organized the Gard indoor archery championships last weekend, for young people and adults, at the Angelo-Parisi gymnasium.
Record broken. That of participation. 153 archers, all categories combined, were competing for the Gard 18m archery championship, young people and adults, at the Angelo-Parisi gymnasium. “Each time it is a real challenge, which we manage to meet thanks to the mobilization of around twenty volunteers.“, comments Stéphan Bélis, president of the Archers Beaucairois, club organizing the event since 2020, in partnership with the City of Beaucaire and the Gard Departmental Archery Committee. And congratulations from Olivier Grillat, director of the Arc club of Nîmes and general manager of International indoor archery tournament, Nîmes Archery, further galvanizes the team, already ready to leave for a tour next year.
153 archers, young and adult, took their place on the shooting ranges of the Angelo-Parisi gymnasium. • S.Ma
Of the 18 archery clubs in Gard, 16 were represented during this competition. Archers from Saint-Martin-de-Crau – club of Nicolas Girard, 2025 world champion compound bow in Gwangju, in South Korea – even crossed the Rhône, simply to participate in the qualifiers. “That’s what’s beautiful about this sport, based on values of ethics and respect“, underlines the president of the Beaucair club. One regret, however, is that there are not more young people.”This is not unique to archery. We had the Olympic Games effect, but it did not last over time“, explains Stéphan Bélis.
To attract them more and from a very young age, the club is one of the few in France to have created a Baby Arc section (from 5 years old). And perhaps the exploits of Axel Gualano-Sierra, 11-year-old archer, several times Gard champion, 2025 French champion and winner in the U13 category at the last Nîmes Archery, will spark vocations, who knows? His next meeting, the regional championship this Saturday February 7 and Sunday February 8 in Auch.
Stéphan Bélis, president of the Archers Beaucairois, during the reception organized in honor of Axel Gualano-Sierra, 11 years old, winner of the Nîmes Archery 2026 in the U13 category. • S.Ma
The podiums
U11 men recurve bow: 1. Théo Houssais (Saint-Christol-lez-Alès)
U13 women recurve bow: 1. Valentine Auber (Saint-Christol-lez-Alès) 2. Lola Barthelot (Saint-Géniès-de-Malgoirès) 3. Elsa Larcin (Nîmes)
U13 men recurve bow: 1. Luke Choplain Gines (Manduel) 2. Timéo Ibanez (Nîmes) 3. Théo Herbette (Saint-Géniès-de-Malgoirès)
U15 women recurve bow: 1. Léa Boujarel (Saint-Christol-lez-Alès) 2. Adèle Dupuy-Momper (Nîmes) 3. Chloé Margueray (Nîmes)
U15 men recurve bow: 1. Morgan Janson (Manduel) 2. Milan Leau-Dupont (Manduel) 3. Arthur Michotte of Welle (Saint-Christol-lez-Alès)
U18 women recurve bow: 1. Anaelle de Oliveira (Nîmes) 2. Kelyne Jaffuel (Nîmes) 3. Mathilde Diara (Saint-Christol-lez-Alès)
U18 men recurve bow: 1. Guche Nail (Mandel) 2. Louenn Jeanperrin-Michel (Nîmes) 3. Axel Rey (Alès)
U21 women recurve bow: 1. Elise Barthelot (Saint-Géniès-de-Malgoirès) 2. Zoé Gauchard (Alès)
U21 men recurve bow: 1. Hugo Trauchessec (Nîmes) 2. Indigo Gasc (Saint-Christol-lez-Alès) 3. Anthony Gabbani (Saint-Christol-lez-Alès)
Senior 1 women recurve bow: 1. Mathilde Angenieux (Pont-Saint-Esprit) 2. Jade Charlot (Nîmes) 3. Saco Virginia (Nives)
Senior 1 men recurve bow: 1. Franck Eyeni (Nîmes) 2. Nathan Grilled (Nîmes)
Anna Sandri, champion of Gard in the Senior 2 women’s recurve category. • S.Ma
Senior 2 women recurve bow: 1. Anna Sandri (Pont-Saint-Esprit) 2. Sylvie Baboulene (Beaucaire) 3. Agathe Briois (Saint-Géniès-de-Malgoirès)
Senior 2 men recurve bow: 1. Manuel Mercier (Alès) 2. Gregory Barthelot (Saint-Géniès-de-Malgoirès) 3. Olivier Jaslin (Nîmes)
Senior 3 women recurve bow: 1. Anne-Marie Bonhoure (Nîmes) 2. Marie-Pierre Pataine (Beaucaire)
Senior 3 men recurve bow: 1. Jean-Christophe Pellegrinato (Nîmes) 2. Richard Hugon (Langlade) 3. Christophe Forestier (Saint-Géniès-de-Malgoirès)
U18-U21 men’s compound arch: 1. Ylan Pazzi (Laudun)
Alfredo Canovas, Gard champion in the Senior 2 men’s compound bow category. • S.Ma
Senior 2 women compound bow: 1. Mylène Bressy (Marguerittes) 2. Stéphanie Deutsch (Saint-Christol-lez-Alès) 3. Sévérine Ganga (Beaucaire)
Senior 2 men compound bow: 1. Alfredo Canovas (Milhaud) 2. François Giner (Saint-Christol-lez-Alès) 3. Jean-Claude Ganga (Beaucaire)
Senior 3 women compound bow: 1. Michèle Robert (Pont-Saint-Esprit)
Senior 3 men compound bow: 1. Philippe Fappiano (Alès) 2. André Robert (Pont-Saint-Esprit) 3. Menu (Lnglade)
U18 women’s bare bow: 1. Lilou Ranou (Robion)
Adult women bare bow: 1. Cécile Simonet (Marguerittes)
Adult Men Barebow: 1. Claude Coyo (Saint-Christol-lez-Alès) 2. Olivier Reboul (Laudun)
