Saltillo recently stood at the center of the international sports world as it hosted the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final, a milestone event commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the World Archery series. The competition brought elite athletes from around the globe to the capital of Coahuila, concluding a high-stakes weekend of precision and pressure at a temporary stadium built in the historic Plaza de Armas.
The Stakes and Setting of the 2026 World Cup Final
The global archery showcase transformed Saltillo’s landscape, moving from initial training sessions at the Parque Ecológico La Aurora to high-intensity medal rounds in the city’s historic center. Local and international competitors arrived days ahead of the competition to familiarize themselves with local conditions and adjust equipment ahead of the official bracket draws. For local fans, the tournament offered a rare chance to watch world-class competition up close, highlighted by a strong contingent representing Mexico across multiple divisions.
Among them was local athlete Sebastián García, who competed in the compound division alongside fellow Mexican competitor Rodrigo González, drawing vocal support from the home crowd.
Compound Division Success and Early Medals
Mexico secured its first podium finishes during the compound discipline sessions held on Saturday. Dafne Quintero delivered a strong performance to claim the silver medal in the women’s compound bracket, while Rodrigo González earned a bronze medal in the men’s event. These early successes established momentum for the host nation before the tournament transitioned to the recurve discipline.
Recurve Climax: Medals Decided by Single Flechas
According to ATiempo, the Mexican delegation came within a single arrow of securing a third medal during the final day of competition, though the nation ultimately wrapped up its participation with the two podium finishes secured earlier in the compound events.
In the men’s recurve quarterfinals, Mexico’s Matías Grande Kalionchiz faced Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Mete Gazoz of Turkey. Grande kept the match tight before falling by a 6-4 margin. In the women’s division, Ana Paula Vázquez Flores also exited in the quarterfinals after a 6-4 loss to Czech competitor Marie Horáčková.
Alejandra Valencia advanced furthest among the Mexican recurve squad. After defeating Italy’s Roberta Di Francesco 7-3 in her opening match, Valencia fell 6-0 to Horáčková in the semifinals, forcing a playoff for the bronze medal against Turkey’s Elif Gokkir. The third-place playoff extended through five sets before boiling down to a single tiebreak arrow. Gokkir scored 10 points to Valencia’s 9, locking in a 6-5 final score in favor of the Turkish representative and leaving Valencia in fourth place.
International Champions Crowned in Saltillo
The recurve gold medals ultimately traveled overseas. Marie Horáčková secured the women’s title for Czechia, defeating Katharina Bauer of Germany, who took silver, while Elif Gokkir claimed bronze. In the men’s division, Dhiraj Bommadevara of India captured the gold medal by defeating Japan’s Junya Nakanishi in the final. Mete Gazoz rounded out the men’s podium by taking the bronze.
The closing ceremonies brought down the curtain on a historic weekend that underscored Saltillo’s capacity to host top-tier global sports events.
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