Guatemalan archers delivered a standout performance across two international competitions in April, securing eight medals in events held in El Salvador and the United States. The results highlight the growing strength of the nation’s archery program on the continental stage and underscore its potential ahead of upcoming regional qualifiers.
According to verified results from the Federación de Tiro con Arco de Guatemala and competition organizers, Guatemalan athletes captured three gold, three silver and two bronze medals across individual and team categories. The medals were earned at the XIV Juegos Deportivos Centroamericanos in San Salvador, El Salvador, and the USA Archery Easton Foundation Cup in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In El Salvador, where archery debuted as a medal sport in the Central American Games, Guatemala’s recurve teams dominated. The women’s recurve team — consisting of Ana Sofía Martínez, María José López, and Daniela Vargas — claimed gold after defeating El Salvador in the final with a score of 5–1. The men’s recurve team, featuring José Ángel Pérez, Luis Enrique Gómez, and Carlos Méndez, also took gold, overcoming hosts El Salvador 5–3 in the championship match.
Individually, Martínez added a silver in the women’s recurve individual event, losing narrowly to El Salvador’s Paola Ramírez in a one-arrow shoot-off after tying 140–140 in the ranking round. Gómez earned bronze in the men’s recurve individual, defeating Honduras’ Jorge Castillo 6–2 in the third-place match.
“Winning team gold in front of a home crowd for our rivals was especially meaningful,” said Martínez in a post-competition interview archived by the Guatemalan Olympic Committee. “We’ve trained for this moment since last year’s Pan Am Championships. To execute under pressure, together, shows how far we’ve approach.”
Meanwhile, in Salt Lake City, Guatemalan compound archers made their mark at the USA Archery Easton Foundation Cup, a World Ranking Event recognized by World Athletics. José Ángel Pérez, competing in the men’s compound open category, secured silver after losing the final to American veteran Braden Gellenthien 146–144. Earlier in the tournament, Pérez recorded a personal-best 708/720 in the qualification round, placing third overall.
His teammate, Luis Enrique Gómez, won bronze in the men’s compound individual, defeating Poland’s Łukasz Przybylski 145–140 in the bronze medal match. Gómez’s score of 699/720 in qualification marked a season high for the Guatemalan compound squad.
“Competing against top-ranked archers from the U.S. And Europe in a World Ranking Event is invaluable,” said national team coach Mario Fuentes, whose credentials were confirmed via the World Archery Federation’s coaching registry. “These events expose our athletes to higher pressure, stricter protocols, and international judging — all essential for growth.”
The medals contribute directly to Guatemala’s standing in the World Archery Americas rankings. As of the latest update from World Archery, Pérez rose to 12th in the men’s compound Americas rankings, although Martínez climbed to 15th in women’s recurve — both gains attributed to strong performances in sanctioned events.
Guatemala’s archery program has received increased support from the National Sports Secretariat (SENAD) in recent years, including access to centralized training at the Estadio Nacional’s auxiliary facilities in Guatemala City. Athletes now train year-round under a periodized plan that includes biomechanical analysis and mental conditioning — resources previously unavailable to most.
“We’re not just aiming for medals anymore,” said SENAD’s director of high-performance sports, Karla Méndez, in a press release dated April 10. “We’re building a sustainable pipeline. These results show that investment in coaching, equipment, and competition access is paying off.”
Looking ahead, the Guatemalan team is preparing for the 2025 Juegos Bolivarianos in Ayacucho, Peru, where archery will again be a medal sport. Qualification tournaments for the event are scheduled to initiate in August, with the national team expected to compete in the Central American and Caribbean Archery Championships in Panama in June as a key preparatory event.
For fans and followers, official updates from the Guatemalan Archery Federation are available via its verified Instagram account (@tiroconarquoguatemala) and its website, which publishes competition schedules, athlete profiles, and results in real time.
As Guatemala continues to develop its presence in international archery, these eight medals serve as both a benchmark and a promise — proof that with consistent support and opportunity, Guatemalan athletes can compete and win on the world stage.
