Archery at Santa Fe 2026 South American Games: Rules, Events, and Colombia’s Team

Understanding the Disciplines: Recurve vs. Compound Archery

Archery at the regional games splits competitors into two distinct equipment categories: recurve and compound. The recurve bow is the traditional Olympic discipline, where athletes shoot from a distance of 70 meters at a standard target face. In contrast, the compound bow utilizes a mechanical pulley system that reduces the physical strain of holding a fully drawn string. Compound archers also mount magnifying sights on their equipment and shoot from a closer distance of 50 meters.

Despite the differences in gear and distance, the scoring mechanics remain identical across both divisions. Athletes aim at a multi-colored target face divided into five distinct scoring rings. The central yellow ring carries values of 9 and 10 points, followed by red for 7 and 8, blue for 5 and 6, black for 3 and 4, and the outer white ring for 1 and 2 points. Each category features five medal events: individual men’s, individual women’s, men’s team, women’s team, and mixed team.

Competition Formats and Scoring Rules

Every tournament begins with an initial ranking round where each competitor shoots 72 arrows. This preliminary score establishes the seeding order for the subsequent single-elimination bracket matches. From that point, the rules diverge depending on whether the athletes use recurve or compound bows.

In recurve matches, competitors shoot sets consisting of three arrows each. The archer with the higher cumulative score in a given set earns two set points, while a tied set awards one point to each participant. The first individual archer to reach six set points wins the match, whereas team events require five set points to secure a victory.

Compound matches calculate winners through cumulative scoring across the entire contest. Each archer shoots a total of 15 arrows split into five three-arrow series, yielding a maximum possible score of 150 points. The athlete who accumulates the highest total score advances through the bracket.

When matches end in a tie after regulation sets, organizers utilize a single-arrow shoot-off procedure. Individual recurve or compound archers fire one arrow each; the higher score wins, or if scores are equal, the arrow closest to the absolute center of the target takes the match. Team shoot-offs require every member of the team to fire one arrow, with cumulative scores determining the winner.

The 12 Colombian Competitors in Santa Fe

Colombia fields a balanced roster of 12 athletes for the Santa Fe 2026 competitions, dividing evenly with six competitors in compound and six in recurve. The roster pairs seasoned international champions with emerging medal contenders.

The women’s compound squad features Sara López, Alejandra Usquiano, and Mariana Rodríguez. López enters the event as a world champion and a nine-time winner of the ArchyWorld Cup Final, while Usquiano brings a world team championship title to the lineup. Manuel Arenas, Pablo Gómez, and Jagdeep Singh make up the men’s compound delegation.

On the recurve side, the women’s roster includes Ana María Rendón, Isabella Forero Martínez, and Tania Arias. The men’s recurve team consists of Jorge Enríquez, Santiago Cruz, and Santiago Arcila.

Recent International Form and Team Momentum

The Colombian delegation arrives in Santa Fe carrying strong momentum from recent international circuits. The women’s compound trio of López, Usquiano, and Rodríguez secured a gold medal at the World Cup stage in Madrid earlier in the year. Meanwhile, the recurve squads earned silver medals in the team competitions at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo.

As the competition windows open from September 22 to 26, these athletes aim to convert their international experience into podium finishes across the ten available gold-medal events. Fans can follow the progression of the tournament and watch the matches through regional broadcast coverage provided by Señal Colombia.