Iván Nikolajuk secured a bronze medal in the mixed compound team event at the XIII South American Games Santa Fe 2026. The result bolsters a productive international campaign for the Argentine archery delegation, which also captured a silver medal in the men’s team discipline.
Podium Finish Secured in Dramatic Shoot-Off
Competing alongside Eugenia González Briozzo on Friday, Nikolajuk advanced through the bracket after defeating Chile 155–152 in the quarterfinals. The Argentine duo subsequently dropped a tight 156–154 semifinal match against Colombia before rebounding in the third-place playoff. Facing Venezuela, Nikolajuk and González Briozzo tied at 153 points through regulation before prevailing 172–171 in a dramatic shoot-off.
Men’s Team Silver Against Continental Powerhouse
The mixed team bronze followed a silver medal performance earlier in the week for Nikolajuk in the men’s compound team competition. Partnering with Nelson Salinas and Lucas Garcés, the athlete from General Conesa faced a formidable Colombian squad in the final. The Argentine trio dropped the four-set gold medal match 231–228, securing the silver.
Reflecting on the team’s run, Nikolajuk highlighted the magnitude of contesting a final against a continental powerhouse. “It’s an immense joy. This medal was won by the team. It was a dreamed result for us; we faced Colombia in the final, which is a powerhouse.”
A Resilient Return to International Glory
The achievement marks another milestone in a resilient career for Nikolajuk. The competitor claimed gold at the 2022 South American Games in Asunción just months after recovering from a severe carbon monoxide poisoning incident that left him hospitalized in a coma in Bahía Blanca.
Recurve Success at the Rosario Hippodrome
The South American Games archery program at the Rosario Hippodrome also featured success in the recurve discipline. Argentina’s mixed recurve team, consisting of Alma Pueyo López and Esteban Silva, claimed the silver medal after defeating Panama 5–1 in the semifinals before falling 6–0 to Brazil in the final.
Pueyo López added an individual bronze medal later in the day, defeating Brazil’s Isabelle Estevez 6–0 in the recurve head-to-head playoff. Across all categories, the Argentine archery contingent concluded the Santa Fe 2026 events with a total of six medals, split evenly between three silvers and three bronzes.
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