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Mariana Bernal edges teammate Andrea Becerra in Nanjing shoot-off thriller

18 octobre 2025

Nanjing, China

Vrai nom:

Mariana Bernal shooting versus Andrea Becerra.

Mariana Bernal punished Andrea Becerra right at the death to become the 2025 Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion in a gripping all-Mexican compound women’s final in Nanjing.

In far from ideal conditions – shooting into a westerly wind and a slight chill – both archers started superbly, each recording perfect scores for the first three of five ends to leave it tied at 90 apiece.

Recently crowned world champion Becerra extended her inch-perfect precision into the fourth end, while teammate Bernal dropped her first nine of the match with the final arrow of the set – astonishingly, it took 24 arrows before one landed in the outer yellow ring.

That slim advantage looked like it would be enough for Becerra to add another gold to her extraordinary 2025 campaign, having already won in Florida, Antalya (stages one and three), the Hyundai World Archery Championships and the World Games. But consecutive nines in the last end opened the door for Bernal, who shot 9, 10, 9 to force a shoot-off.

Both archers shot 10s – but Bernal’s arrow caught the top of the X-ring, while Becerra’s sat low in the 10, giving the 22-year-old her first World Cup title.

“I’m feeling really happy, very blessed that life has given me this opportunity to represent Mexico at the highest level,” said Bernal, fighting back tears on the field. “I’m just feeling really happy that all the hard work I’ve put in has paid off.”

“A lot of the wind was really taking a lot of my nines and I was like, ‘It’s okay, just focus and be strong again.’ At the end, I was just focused on shooting a really good 10, I saw the X-ring and told myself, ‘There – you have to shoot it,’ and I did.”

Becerra, as in most competitions these days, entered as the favourite to win at Nanjing Olympic Museum – but it must not be forgotten that Bernal had already beaten her compatriot earlier this year.

That meeting came in the gold medal match at the Copa Merengue in the Dominican Republic back in June, where Bernal won 147-142.

While the event is a continental event and not part of the sport’s premier international circuit, Bernal’s ability to overcome the world number one should never have been ruled out. Having done it before gave her quiet confidence heading into the arena.

As well as relief, pride and joy, Bernal’s emotions were also about redemption. In 2023, during her previous season on the national team, she suffered from bursitis – an inflammation of the fluid-filled sac that cushions the shoulder joint – an injury that can be career-threatening for any archer.

“My tendons were really thin and they were broken,” she revealed. “There was a time when I couldn’t even hold a glass of water, so I had to go through a lot of therapy.”

“I went to the gym a lot, little by little, because I literally started from zero. Being here is amazing – and winning? It’s a dream.”

Being at the top in sport is extraordinary, but the journey to get there is what truly defines a world-class athlete.

Bronze at the 2018 Pan American Championships and in Florida this season, gold at Copa Merengue and now the World Cup crown in Nanjing mark Bernal not only as a capable archer but as a fighter.

Becerra, understandably disappointed after the medal ceremony, still leaves the 2025 outdoor season calling it “the best year of my life.”

She’ll be back.