Shoot-off Drama in Rome: Francesco Gregori and Roberta Di Francesco Claim First Absolute Indoor Titles

The Nuova Fiera di Roma played host to a weekend of high tension and precision at the Campionati Italiani indoor 2026, where the Italian archery circuit witnessed a changing of the guard. In a series of nail-biting finishes, Francesco Gregori and Roberta Di Francesco both secured their first-ever absolute national indoor titles, with both championships decided by the narrowest of margins in sudden-death shoot-offs.

For the global archery community, the event served as more than just a national showcase. With the compound bow now being integrated into the roadmap toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, the stakes in Rome felt amplified, blending traditional recurve dominance with the evolving strategic importance of the compound category.

Gregori’s Underdog Run to Gold

Few would have predicted Francesco Gregori’s trajectory when the ranking round concluded. Representing G.S. Marina Militare, Gregori entered the elimination brackets as a massive underdog, slotted in at 36th place with a qualification score of 590.

However, Gregori transformed into a giant-killer during the match play. He opened his campaign with a 6-2 victory over Edoardo Tuci of Arcieri Ugo di Toscana, followed by another 6-2 win against Francesco Poerio Pitera of C.A.M. In the semifinals, Gregori maintained his momentum, dispatching veteran Marco Galiazzo with a matching 6-2 scoreline to punch his ticket to the final.

The gold medal match pitted Gregori against the tournament’s top seed, Matteo Borsani of Gruppo Arco Fiamme Gialle. Borsani had entered the final as the favorite after posting the best score in the qualification round. In a clash of styles and nerves, the two archers fought to a 5-5 deadlock, forcing a shoot-off. Gregori clinched the title when his final arrow—a 9—landed closer to the center than Borsani’s, securing his first absolute indoor championship.

For those unfamiliar with the format, a shoot-off is the ultimate pressure cooker in archery; each athlete fires a single arrow, and the one closest to the absolute center of the target wins, regardless of the numerical value of the arrow.

Di Francesco Breaks Through

The women’s recurve category mirrored the drama of the men’s side, though the path to the final was more predictable. The top four seeds from the ranking round all successfully navigated the brackets to reach the semifinals, signaling a dominant performance by the tournament favorites.

Roberta Di Francesco, the number one seed, entered the final match with high expectations. Facing off against Tatiana Andreoli, Di Francesco found herself in a similarly tense position as Gregori. The match pushed into a shoot-off, where Di Francesco delivered a clutch 10. Because her arrow was closer to the center than Andreoli’s, she captured the first absolute Italian title of her career.

Rounding out the women’s podium was Chiara Rebagliati, who claimed the bronze medal after defeating Elisabetta Mijno in the third-place play-off, a match decided by a decisive second spare arrow.

Compound Bows and the Road to LA 2028

Whereas the recurve battles grabbed the headlines for their drama, the compound events highlighted the future of the sport. As Italy looks toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, where compound archery is expected to play a larger role, the performances of Roner and Morello stood out as the benchmark for the discipline.

Roner and Morello emerged as the top performers in the compound category, asserting their dominance in a field that is seeing increased investment and technical refinement as the 2028 cycle begins in earnest.

2026 Italian Indoor Championships: Final Standings

The tournament underscored the depth of Italian talent, particularly in the recurve discipline where veteran experience met rising ambition.

Beyond the individual glory, the team events also provided key insights into club strength. Gregori’s squad in the Men’s Recurve Team event finished in third place, adding a bronze to his personal gold haul for the weekend.

The 2026 Campionati Italiani indoor will be remembered as the tournament where the “shoot-off” became the defining narrative, proving that in indoor archery, a perfect ranking round is no guarantee of a trophy once the head-to-head brackets begin.

The Italian archery circuit now shifts its focus to the outdoor season and the continuing qualification processes for international competitions. Stay tuned for updates on the upcoming national rankings and Olympic qualifying events.

Do you think Gregori’s underdog run was a fluke or a sign of a new era in Italian recurve? Let us know in the comments below.