Lopez receives fifth domestic prize in recognition of outstanding season

Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion Sara Lopez was awarded with a silver Altius award by the Colombian Olympic Committee for her outstanding performances in 2023 at a ceremony held on 18 January.

This is the fifth national distinction – one gold, two silver and 2 bronze – for the 28-year-old compound archer, who became the first archer to receive the overall prize as best non-Olympic athlete for 2021.

Colombia’s national Olympic committee issues Altius awards for outstanding performances from athletes participating in both Olympic and non-Olympic sports each year.

“Sharing the podium with athletes that I have admired all my life, who have set the standard for other Colombian athletes, was a great honour,” Sara said.

“To represent my sport in an event of such national renown and to be able to carry the name of archery was the most important thing for me,” she added. “It’s an award more than just for me, it’s an award for my team.”

The Colombian archer has again been on the World Cup and World Championship podiums several times, as well major continental events, in 2023, but her most impressive achievement was a record-eight trophy at the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in Hermosillo, Mexico, in September.

She has also just been awarded the title of compound women’s athlete of the year 2023 for the seventh time in nine edition of the World Archery Awards.

Sara is not the only international compound archer to recently receive seasonal national honours.

World Archery’s best para woman of 2023 Sheetal Devi was also named best youth athlete of the year by the Asian Paralympic Committee in November. The Indian para archer was honoured for winning three medals at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou in October and for a breakthrough season in 2023 at just 16.