Dafne Quintero secured the silver medal in the compound archery event at the Archery World Cup Final 2026 in Saltillo, Mexico, after a narrow 144-145 defeat against the United States archer Alexis Ruiz. Competing at the Plaza de Armas, Quintero earned strong backing from local fans in her home state of Coahuila before Ruiz clinched the title in a tense tiebreak finish.
With the result, Mexico claimed its second overall presea of the tournament, following a successful debut performance by teammate Rodrigo González in the men’s compound bracket.
A Dramatic Finish in the Plaza de Armas
The gold-medal showdown between Quintero and Ruiz went down to the final arrows under intense pressure from the home crowd. Ruiz described the razor-thin margin of victory in remarks to World Archery, noting that the match literally hinged on the closing sequence.
Ruiz told World Archery that the duel against Dafne was very close, with the outcome decided on the last arrow, and that she couldn’t even describe the joy she felt at that moment.
For Ruiz, the victory marked a notable milestone as she became the first United States archer to win the women’s compound circuit title since Jamie Van Natta triumphed in Tokyo in 2021. The 27-year-old competitor also noted following her victory that she has been working through a recovery period after suffering a serious accident just weeks prior to the event.
Mexico’s Medal Haul in Saltillo
Quintero’s silver medal followed an opening success for the host nation earlier in the competition. Rodrigo González captured the bronze medal in the men’s compound division by defeating Colombia’s Pablo Gómez with a 149-147 scoreline, earning the first podium finish for the home country at the Saltillo tournament.
Saltillo serves as the fifth Mexican host city for the Archery World Cup Final, extending a national tradition that includes previous editions held in Mérida in 2006, Mexico City in 2015, Tlaxcala in 2022, Hermosillo in 2023, and Tlaxcala in 2024. The four division winners across the tournament are formally crowned as 2026 World Cup champions and awarded designated financial prizes.
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