Dafne Quintero and Rodrigo González Win Silver and Bronze at Archery World Cup Final in Saltillo

Packed Crowds Fill Saltillo’s Historic Plaza de Armas

The opening day of the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final 2026 transformed the Centro Histórico of Saltillo into a vibrant arena. Bleachers surrounding the Plaza de Armas filled entirely as local spectators turned out with banners, applause, and chants to back the Mexican contingent.

Dafne Quintero Fights Through to a Silver Medal

Competing in her home state of Coahuila, Dafne Quintero overcame early-season doubts and intense pressure to secure the silver medal in the women’s compound category. According to coverage from La Jornada, Quintero enters every night by writing a note in her journal emphasizing confidence and enjoyment of competition. In the quarterfinals, she edged Turkey’s Hazal Burun 144–143 in a match marked by constant lead changes after both athletes opened with a perfect round. She then advanced past Great Britain’s Ella Gibson in the semifinals.

In the gold-medal match, Quintero faced American archer Alexis Ruiz. Backed by family, friends, and local supporters waving banners, Quintero fell just short in a 144–145 battle, leaving Ruiz with the gold. Colombia’s Sara López rounded out the podium by taking the bronze medal. The result marked Quintero’s third career podium finish at a World Cup Final, following bronze medals in 2023 and 2024.

“I’ve had many low points in my career, and feeling this medal proves to me that I can keep going in this sport,” Quintero told reporters after the event, as reported by La Jornada. “There was a time when I wanted to throw in the towel, but I didn’t quit and it was worth it. What comes next is working for the gold.”

Rodrigo González de Alba Earns Bronze in a Shoot-Off Thriller

In the men’s compound division, Rodrigo González de Alba delivered Mexico’s first podium of the tournament following a tense elimination bracket. González de Alba squared off against the Netherlands’ Mike Schloesser in a quarterfinal that ended deadlocked at 146–146 after five regulation rounds. The tie required a decisive shoot-off arrow, which González de Alba won to advance.

After falling to Denmark’s Mathias Fullerton in the next stage, González de Alba regrouped to face Colombia’s Pablo Gómez Zuluaga in the bronze-medal match. Displaying superior precision in a closely contested battle, the Mexican archer outshot his opponent to claim the bronze. Austria’s Nico Wiener captured the gold medal in the division by defeating Fullerton 148–147 in the final, matching the tight margins that characterized the entire men’s compound bracket.

Early Exits for Local Competitors Amid High Drama

Not all local favorites managed to reach the podium during the opening session. Monclova-born Sebastián García faced Colombia’s Pablo Gómez Zuluaga in the men’s compound quarterfinals. The encounter began with a flawless first round from both competitors before the Colombian capitalized on minor errors to secure the victory. Despite the elimination, the crowd chanted García’s name, prompting an emotional reaction from the coahuilense athlete.

In the women’s bracket, top-ranked global competitor Maya Becerra of Mexico also saw her run cut short in the quarterfinals. Becerra was eliminated by Great Britain’s Ella Gibson, though she expressed satisfaction with her overall season performance and praised her opponent’s standing as one of the world’s elite archers.

Sunday Schedule and Recurvo Finals

Competition at the Plaza de Armas in Saltillo continues on Sunday, September 13, 2026, with the recurve divisions. The men’s recurve quarterfinals are scheduled to begin at 10:00 local time, followed by the women’s bracket at 14:00 local time. Mexican athletes including Alejandra Valencia, Matías Grande, and Ana Paula Vázquez are slated to take to the shooting line to contest the remaining world titles.