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Jean Philippe Boulch guarantees medal in Madrid after more than a year away

9 July 2025

Madrid, Spain

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Jean Philippe Boulch against USA at Madrid.

Jean Philippe Boulch has made a successful return to the Hyundai Archery World Cup – guaranteeing himself a medal at the fourth stage of the 2025 season in Madrid as part of France’s compound men’s team.

Boulch, alongside teammates François Dubois and Nicolas Girard, beat the higher-ranked USA team of James Lutz, Jesse Clayton and Curtis Broadnax, 239-237, to reach the final. The USA later secured bronze in the event. The French trio now advance to Saturday’s gold medal match.

Girard and Dubois have been regulars on the circuit this season, shooting in Shanghai and Antalya – with Girard winning individual gold in Türkiye – but this is Boulch’s first outdoor international appearance since stage three of the 2024 Hyundai Archery World Cup, also held in Antalya, over a year ago. He did compete indoors earlier this year, but had yet to appear on the outdoor stage in 2025 – until now.

“This is my first World Cup this year, and it’s pretty cool to make the gold medal match with these guys,” said Boulch, whose side also set a new French national record for compound men’s team match score with their remarkable 239. “It’s impressive. It’s good to finish the season with this, just before Gwangju. It’s perfect preparation.”

“To beat the USA, too – they’re really strong. It just shows how good we are.”

Seeded eighth, France faced a tough road to the final, with compound powerhouses India and the USA on their side of the bracket. While the win over the Americans was notable, it was arguably the 234-233 quarterfinal upset over world number one team India that made the bigger statement.

India’s Prathamesh Bhalchandra Fuge, Aman Saini and Rishabh Yadav are young but experienced, with 16 collective World Cup appearances and strong form this season. Yadav, who set a world record in the mixed team event earlier this week, helped secure team bronze in Central Florida and gold in Shanghai earlier this year.

The USA team, too, featured reigning Archery World Cup Champion Lutz. But it was 34-year-old Boulch – a silver medallist at the Birmingham 2022 World Games – who led by example in Madrid’s scorching heat, shooting all eight of his arrows into the 10-ring during the semifinal against the USA.

It’s been more than a year since his last outdoor appearance, and a win on Saturday would mark a triumphant return for one of France’s most experienced compound archers.

Their opponent? Korea – who will look to extend their winning ways in compound, just as they’ve done so often in recurve. The two nations have met in several high-stakes matches recently, including the recurve men’s team finals at both Paris 2024 and Shanghai 2025 – both won by Korea.

Now, it’s the turn of the compound men.

“I think it’s a good team too, and we’ll see it in the gold medal match,” added Boulch, who last won World Cup gold in the team event at Medellin in 2022.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been in a final like this,” said Korea’s Kim Jongho, a compound men’s team world record holder. “We know each other well, so we’ll just try our best to win the gold.”

Korea also collected bronze in the compound women’s team event earlier on Wednesday

Competition in Madrid continues this afternoon with recurve qualifying.