Ecuador and Brazil set the pace in qualification at South American Youth and Masters Championships

Host nation Ecuador and Brazil claimed six top seeds each during qualification at the Daule 2026 South American Youth and Masters Open Championships on Thursday, with Ecuador's Blanca Maritza Rodrigo Bueno edging Chile's reigning champion, Aurora Olea Prado, in the compound U21 women's event at the Makarios Archery Sports Club.

Billed as the deepest field of returning medallists in Daule, the compound U21 women's event produced a close contest between Ecuador and Chile. Blanca Maritza Rodrigo Bueno shot 687 to finish four points ahead of Aurora Olea Prado, who posted 683. The Ecuadorian improved by 35 points on her qualification score in Santiago last year, when she went on to claim South American Championship silver behind Prado.

Ecuador's Dana Victoria Navarrete Vargas, the 2025 U18 champion, placed third in the Open standings with 672 after moving up a category. She competes for Apex Archery and is entered in the Open event only. Chile's Catalina Victoria Torres Leiva, who also stepped up from U18, was fourth on 654.

Ecuador also claimed the top seed in compound U18 men. Matias Joaquin Avila Barrera shot 681 to finish eight points clear of reigning champion Oscar Omar Enrique Verdugo Viñales of Chile. Avila Barrera, a South American Championship bronze medallist in compound U21 men last year, improved by 76 points on the 605 he recorded in Santiago.

The hosts swept the top three places in compound U18 women, led by Dariana Isabel Heredia Sanchez on 679, ahead of Sofia Anabel Contreras Martinez (656) and Maria Eduarda Davila Mera (637). Ecuador's Diana Gangotena Rodriguez added the top seed in compound U15 women with 651.

Brazil's Rafael Magalhães produced the highest score of the day, shooting 698 to lead a Brazilian one-two-three in compound U21 men. Henrique Mezzacapa, runner-up to Oscar Omar Enrique Verdugo Viñales in both U18 finals last year, qualified second with 690 after moving up a category. His score was 80 points higher than his total in Santiago. Arthur Bremer de Oliveira completed the sweep with 673.

In compound U15 men, Costa Rica's Yhorman Morales Fuentes posted 682 to finish 90 points ahead of second place. As Costa Rica competes in the Open events only, Ecuador's Mateo Israel Fierro Boada (592) leads the South American Championship standings.

Chile, which topped the medal table in Santiago with 47 medals, collected two top seeds through its recurve archers. Ángel Moises Vega Valdivia, the reigning Open champion in recurve U21 men, shot 653 to finish 19 points ahead of Brazil's Eduardo Diamantino. The Chilean's total was 59 points higher than his qualification score last year. Chile's Joaquin Parraguez placed third with 612, while Ecuador's Juan Pablo Peralta Alvarez was fourth on 588. Damian Rojas added Chile's second top seed with 658 in recurve U15 men.

Brazil's Sophia Medeiros, the 2025 Open recurve U18 champion, topped recurve U21 women with 595 after moving up a category, finishing 30 points ahead of Peru's Alexandra Zavala Tagata.

Colombia claimed both recurve U18 top seeds. Juan Jose Molina Murillo edged teammate Cristobal Giraldo Rios by two points, 638 to 636, in the men's event, while Juana Cardona Gaviria shot 631 to lead the women's field by 22 points over Brazil's Luiza Langone. The pair placed second and third in qualification at the South American Youth Games in Panama in April.

Chile's Alejandra Ignacia Bravo Peña and Sabrina Nicolette NuÑez Castillo, who finished first and second in both recurve U15 women's events last year, sit third and sixth in the South American Championship standings in their first U18 appearance at the championships. Ecuador's Alessia Mijanow Rubira Guerra led recurve U15 women with 592.

Brazil swept all four 50+ top seeds in recurve and compound. Moisés Guimarães shot 640 in recurve 50+ men, 15 points ahead of defending Open champion Gildardo Anselmo Fuentes of Colombia, who is also contesting the South American Championship title this year after switching from club to national team colours. 

Fabiola Dergovics (602), Vanderlei Dantas (665) and Marcelle Artamonoff (657) topped the remaining masters fields. 

Both recurve 50+ divisions will crown new South American champions after Argentine archers, absent this year, filled every podium place in those events in Santiago.

In barebow, Ecuador's Jorge Ulpiano Proaño Ruiz led the combined 50+ and U21 men's field with 533, six points ahead of Jeetendra Deonarine of Trinidad and Tobago's South Arrows Archery Club.

Competition continues on Friday with the Open individual eliminations and finals.

Top seeds: Daule 2026

Full results are available on the event page.

• Recurve U21 men: Ángel Moises Vega Valdivia, Chile – 653
• Recurve U21 women: Sophia Medeiros, Brazil – 595
• Recurve U18 men: Juan Jose Molina Murillo, Colombia – 638
• Recurve U18 women: Juana Cardona Gaviria, Colombia – 631
• Recurve U15 men: Damian Rojas, Chile – 658
• Recurve U15 women: Alessia Mijanow Rubira Guerra, Ecuador – 592
• Recurve 50+ men: Moisés Guimarães, Brazil – 640
• Recurve 50+ women: Fabiola Dergovics, Brazil – 602
• Compound U21 men: Rafael Magalhães, Brazil – 698
• Compound U21 women: Blanca Maritza Rodrigo Bueno, Ecuador – 687
• Compound U18 men: Matias Joaquin Avila Barrera, Ecuador – 681
• Compound U18 women: Dariana Isabel Heredia Sanchez, Ecuador – 679
• Compound U15 men: Yhorman Morales Fuentes, Costa Rica – 682 (South American Championship: Mateo Israel Fierro Boada, Ecuador – 592)
• Compound U15 women: Diana Gangotena Rodriguez, Ecuador – 651
• Compound 50+ men: Vanderlei Dantas, Brazil – 665
• Compound 50+ women: Marcelle Artamonoff, Brazil – 657
• Barebow U21 women: Madhavi Bidah, South Arrows Archery Club (Trinidad and Tobago) – 396
• Barebow 50+ men/U21 men: Jorge Proaño Ruiz, Ecuador – 533