Shanghai 2026: Five archers to watch at stage two of the Hyundai World Cup

The 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup continues with stage two next week in Shanghai, starting with compound qualification on Tuesday.

With the 20th Asian Games scheduled later this year, many Asian nations are fielding strong teams in all four categories in China, a regular stop on the circuit since its inception in 2006.

Elite archers are also coming from around the world, including all four world number ones – Brady Ellison, Kang Chaeyoung, Mike Schloesser and Andrea Becerra – who will compete at the Yuanshen Sports Centre.

Reigning compound men’s World Cup champion Emircan Haney will also be present.

Those names headline the field, but here are five more to watch in Shanghai.

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1. James Lutz

Who? The new compound men’s world record holder.

Why? Jimmy Lutz had to feature. Mexico’s Sebastian Garcia Flores matched the 719 mark earlier this year, but as it came during national trials – an event not registered on the World Archery calendar – it could not be ratified. Lutz then shot 719 at the 2026 Easton Foundations Gator Cup to claim the official 72-arrow world record at 50 metres, one point above Braden Gellenthien’s previous mark.

A former World Cup champion (Tlaxcala 2024) and world champion (Den Bosch 2019), Lutz has not reached an outdoor podium recently, with his last individual medal coming at the G2025 Great Chicago Open indoors. That was 14 months ago, but a 719 suggests something has clicked, and the 28-year-old could improve on his third-round exit in Puebla.

Lutz has won two World Cup stages in his career – Antalya 2019 and Medellin 2022.

2. Sanne de Laat

Who? The Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships mixed team gold medallist.

Why? When it comes to compound mixed team, few pairs right now are stronger than Sanne de Laat and Mike Schloesser.

The Dutch duo are reigning world and European gold medallists and won stage three of the World Cup in Madrid last year. They narrowly missed out on another gold in Puebla, but remain among the favourites looking ahead to LA28.

With increased funding allowing de Laat to compete at all four stages this season for the first time in her career, it may only be a matter of time before her mixed team success translates to the individual event. Could it be in Shanghai?

De Laat was the individual bronze medallist at the Antalya 2021 European Championships.

3. Tang Chih-Chun

Who? The recurve men’s Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games champion.

Why? Tang Chih-Chun is one of the many Asian archers targeting success ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. The Tokyo 2020 silver medallist has been of Chinese Taipei’s deep talent pool since 2018 and is approaching his 20th World Cup appearance.

His maiden World Cup medal – silver in Puebla – came after wins over Paris 2024 team silver medallist Baptiste Addis and Tokyo champion Mete Gazoz before falling to Brady Ellison in the final. That run suggests he is close to a breakthrough.

Looking more confident than ever, 2026 could be the year he delivers his best season yet, and a gold in Shanghai would underline that potential.

At 25, Tang has already competed at two Olympic Games –Tokyo and Paris.

4. Jang Minhee

Who? The recurve women’s 2021 World Archery Champion.

Why? It’s nearly all change in Korea’s recurve women’s team for 2026, with Kang Chaeyoung the only archer returning from 2025. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given their dominance in both recurve categories, but it is still striking that the last two Olympic Champions – An San (Tokyo) and Lim Sihyeon (Paris) – did not make the quartet.

One of the replacements is Jang Minhee. Although 27, she will feel as new as anyone on the World Cup circuit in Shanghai, having never competed on the tour – despite being a former world champion. Shanghai therefore presents an exciting opportunity, but Jang will also be looking to respond after missing out on the top three in Korea’s national trials for the Asian Games.

With one less major competition to focus on, she can concentrate fully on her debut World Cup campaign, which could bring a medal or two in Shanghai.

Jang defeated hometown favourite Casey Kaufhold 6-0 in the final at Yankton 2021.

5. Marie Horackova

Who? The recurve women’s 2023 World Archery Champion.

Why? From one world champion to another, Marie Horackova is one archer who could challenge Jang Minhee and the rest of the recurve women’s field in Shanghai. Deciding not to compete in Puebla meant last weekend’s European Grand Prix Spring Arrows was her first 70-metre competition of 2026, and she looked strong on her return.

Before facing Elif Gokkir, Horackova dropped only three sets in four matches. Although she looked frustrated with the loss in Antalya, it still represents a positive start to the year. Like James Lutz, she has not reached many outdoor podiums at World Archery events in recent seasons, with her gold at the Berlin 2023 Hyundai World Archery Championships the last time she won a medal at 70 metres.

A silver on her first outing of the season, however, bodes well if that performance was a warm-up for Shanghai.

Horackova won her quarterfinal, semifinal and final all in straight sets at Berlin 2023.