Preview: Archery World Cup returns to Medellin for 10-year anniversary

These days, Colombia is well-known as one of the best (compound) archery teams in the world.

Over the last decade, the country has collected countless world, Hyundai Archery World Cup and major continental titles, led but not exclusively delivered by the most successful compound woman of all time, Sara Lopez.

This wasn’t always the case.

Ten years ago, Lopez had just won her first stage, Medellin was welcoming the international tour for the very first time – and few would have predicted the success on the horizon.

What better way to celebrate a decennary of international archery success in Colombia than return for another key stop on the circuit. We’re back next week for stage three of the 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup.

Key information

What’s happening? The third stage of the 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup on 13-18 June. The qualification and elimination phases will take place at the Colombian team’s headquarters at Unidad Deportiva de Belén before Parques de Río hosts the finals arena over the weekend.

What’s at stake? Eight stage winners from stages one and two are already booked for the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in September. Four more automatic tickets are at stake in Medellin – and there are a handful of athletes sitting high in the Hyundai Archery World Cup Rankings who are very close to being safe on points, should they bag another strong finish in the city of eternal spring.

Who’s competing? More than 300 archers from 42 countries.

What’s the story? Seven of the eight winners over the first two stages of this year’s international tour were first-timers. But while they’ve stolen the spotlight, big names have consistently flirted with the upper-middle positions. What better place for the old guard to return than Medellin, 10 years on from hosting its first stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup – and 10 years after Colombia’s break-out year, when Sara Lopez bagged a first stage win (in Antalya), then Alejandra Usquiano took gold on home soil and the circuit title in Paris.

Win and in? Sure – but consistency, too

Since 2018, archers that win a stage of the international tour automatically qualify for the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final. The remainder of the spots are distributed to the next-top-ranked athletes in the Hyundai Archery World Cup Rankings – with one spot reserved for the host country.

With two of the four stages complete this season, three of the four (joint or outright) ranking leaders haven’t won a stage.

Compound world number ones Ella Gibson and Mike Schloesser have both made both final fours – in Antalya and Shanghai – and each picked up a fourth place and a silver medal. Five-time Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion Brady Ellison, meanwhile, is joint-top of the recurve men’s list with Shanghai winner Marcus D’Almeida but he hasn’t made it past the quarterfinals yet.

Win a stage and you’re in. But consistently make the latter stages of matchplay and you’re going to be going to the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final, too.

Event schedule

• Tuesday 13 June: Compound qualifying
• Wednesday 14 June: Recurve qualifying
• Thursday 15 June: Compound eliminations
• Friday 16 June: Recurve eliminations
• Saturday 17 June: Compound finals*
• Sunday 18 June: Recurve finals*

*Teams in the morning, individual final fours in the afternoon.

How to watch

Coverage of the third stage of the 2023 Hyundai Archery World Cup is being shown worldwide by broadcast partners. Check local listings on CCTV (China), Claro Sports (Latin America), Eleven (Chinese Taipei), Eurosport (Europe), SpoTV (Korea and Southeast Asia), SETIndia (Indian subcontinent), Rai (Italy) and TRT (Turkey).

The event is being streamed live by the Olympic Channel in other territories.

Live scores will be available on the World Archery website, and there will be coverage on World Archery’s digital platforms throughout the competition.

Who’s competing?

All four individual winners from last year’s Hyundai Archery World Cup stage in Medellin return in 2023:

• Recurve men: Kim Woojin, Korea
• Recurve women: An San, Korea
• Compound men: James Lutz, USA
• Compound women: Ella Gibson, Great Britain

These are the top-ranked archers competing at this season’s Americas leg:

• Recurve men: Marcus D’Almeida, Brazil (world rank: 1)
• Recurve women: Penny Healey, Great Britain (world rank: 1)
• Compound men: Mike Schloesser, Netherlands (world rank: 1)
• Compound women: Ella Gibson, Great Britain (world rank: 1)

A total of 308 (170 men, 138 women) athletes from the following 42 teams are registered to compete at the tournament: Afghanistan, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, France, Great Britain, Germany, Guatemala, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, USA, US Virgin Islands and Venezuela.

Competition in Medellin starts with compound qualifying on Tuesday afternoon.