At the World Archery Final in Saltillo, Mexico, local archer Dafne Quintero claimed the silver medal in the women’s compound event following a tight 144–145 loss to United States competitor Alexis Ruiz, according to tournament reports.
Plaza de Armas Hosts Final Showdown
Staged at the historic Plaza de Armas in northern Mexico, the competition drew strong local support for the coahuilense athlete before Ruiz secured the gold medal in a tense tiebreak finish.
Decisive Final Arrows in Mexico
Quintero fought her way through a competitive field on home soil, eliminating Turkey’s Hazal Burun in the quarter-finals before edging past Britain’s Ella Gibson in the semifinal round.
In the gold-medal match, however, two nines in the final rotation proved decisive against Ruiz, who closed out her round with three consecutive 10s to claim the title. According to World Archery coverage, Ruiz acknowledged the intense nature of the final, noting that the duel came down literally to the final arrow.
A Milestone Victory for the United States
The event also marked a milestone for the United States compound circuit, as Ruiz became the first American woman to win the title since Jamie Van Natta secured victory in Tokyo in 2021.
Reporting from the venue highlighted that the 27-year-old American captured the gold while still in the process of recovering from a serious accident sustained weeks prior.
Hard-Fought Battles for Bronze
The podium also featured a hard-fought battle for the bronze medal in the women’s compound division. Colombia’s Sara López claimed third place by defeating Britain’s Ella Gibson 147–146 in an encounter that tested both athletes.
López advanced after overcoming Germany’s Katharina Raab 148–147 in the quarter-finals, despite dropping a semifinal match to eventual champion Ruiz. Reflecting on her performance, López described the bronze as having the value of gold given the calibre of her opponents and equipment challenges she managed during the event.
Men’s Division and International Legacy
On the men’s side of the compound tournament, debutant Rodrigo González secured a bronze medal for the host nation by defeating Colombia’s Pablo Gómez 149-147, according to match records. The result marked Mexico’s first podium appearance of the Saltillo competition before Quintero added her silver later in the day. In the men’s gold-medal match, Austria’s Nico Wiener narrowly defeated Denmark’s Mathias Fullerton 148–147 to take the championship title.
Saltillo serves as the fifth Mexican city to host the World Archery Final, following previous editions in Mérida in 2006, Mexico City in 2015, Tlaxcala in 2022 and 2024, and Hermosillo in 2023. The international competition continues with upcoming recurve divisions featuring competitors such as Spain’s Elia Canales.
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