Italy Dominates European Indoor Archery Championships with Record 21 Medals in Plovdiv

Italy’s archery team delivered a historic performance at the European Indoor Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, securing an unprecedented 21 medals to top the medal table. The event, held from February 16 to 22, 2026, saw Italian athletes claim 11 gold, 4 silver, and 6 bronze medals across all disciplines, more than doubling the medal count of second-place Turkey.

According to verified results from the championships, Italy’s dominance was evident in both team and individual events. The Italian men’s and women’s teams secured multiple podium finishes in recurve, compound, and barebow categories, contributing significantly to the nation’s medal haul. Individual successes included Michea Godano winning the senior men’s compound title and Linda Grezzani capturing the senior women’s barebow gold, both victories coming in dramatic shoot-off finishes against French and Italian rivals respectively.

The championships, hosted in Plovdiv, featured competition across senior, junior, and under-21 age groups. Italy’s success spanned all categories, with junior athletes Emiliano Rampon (recurve), Christian Maranto (compound), and Giulio Locchi (barebow) adding to the nation’s gold medal count. Additional individual medals came from Roberta Di Francesco (silver in senior women’s recurve), Cinzia Noziglia (silver in senior women’s barebow), Federico Musolesi (bronze in senior men’s recurve), and Eleonora Lai (bronze in junior women’s barebow).

Italy’s performance surpassed previous achievements, building on their strong showing in team events earlier in the competition. The 21-medal haul represents the nation’s most successful performance in European Indoor Championship history, highlighting the depth and strength of Italian archery across all disciplines and age groups.

The event was organized by World Archery Europe and attracted participation from 24 nations, continuing the biennial tradition of the European Indoor Championships. Italy’s victory in Plovdiv follows their participation in the 2025 edition held in Samsun, Turkey, and sets the stage for the next edition scheduled for 2027.

For ongoing coverage of international archery competitions and updates on Italy’s national team, fans can follow the official channels of the Federazione Italiana Tiro con l’Arco (FITARCO) and World Archery Europe.