Sebastián García claimed the individual compound archery gold medal at the World Archery World Cup stage in Shanghai, China, defeating France’s Nicolas Girard in a dramatic shoot-off, according to event reports. The 23-year-old Mexican athlete secured the title during the second stage of the 2026 World Archery circuit following a 145(9*) to 145(9) tie-breaker decision.
The triumph marks a significant career milestone for the coahuilense archer, who captured his first individual World Cup gold medal on the international circuit. According to coverage from El Economista, García advanced to the final showdown after defeating Denmark’s Martin Damsbo 146–145 in the semifinal round.
The gold-medal match required maximum precision from both competitors. After matching each other through regulation scoring at 145 points apiece, the contest was decided by a single golden arrow. García delivered a nine with an asterisk to edge Girard, whose regulation-ending tie-breaker arrow scored a nine, lifting the Mexican flag to the top of the podium in Shanghai.
Strong Mexican Showing in Compound Divisions
García’s gold medal anchored a productive weekend for the Mexican archery delegation in China, which concluded the second World Archery stage with a haul of one gold, one silver, and one bronze. The results represented a step forward compared to the opening stage held earlier in the season in Puebla, where the national squad collected three bronze medals.
In the women’s compound division, Maya Becerra added a silver medal to the national count. The reigning world champion and current world number one dropped a narrow 145–144 decision to Estonia’s Lisell Jaatma in the final. Becerra had previously booked her place in the title match by defeating compatriot Dafne Quintero 143–142 in an all-Mexican semifinal.
Quintero narrowly missed the podium in Shanghai. She faced the United States archer Alexis Ruiz in the bronze-medal match, falling 148–145 to finish fourth in the tournament standings.
Next Stop on the World Archery Calendar
With the Shanghai stage concluded, the Mexican archery team continues its preparations for the upcoming international calendar and the broader trajectory toward the Los Ángeles 2028 Olympic cycle. Archers from across the globe will return to action from June 9 to June 14, when Antalya, Turkey, hosts the third stage of the World Archery World Cup.
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