Just under 240 athletes from 47 countries will compete at the Gwangju 2025 World Archery Para Championships next week in Korea, from 22-28 September.
It’s been two years since the Pilsen 2023 World Archery Para Championships and the global dynamics of the sport haven’t seen a seismic shift – but perhaps there will be surprises in store.
Much is especially expected of the teams from China, India, Italy and Great Britain. A worlds just after the Paralympic cycle is perhaps a little more difficult to assess, but there are always stories to keep an eye on.
The weather which caused havoc at the Hyundai World Archery Championships just a few weeks ago looks set to continue to be damp and thundery but should calm down for the finals. As with all international tournaments, the athletes that manage the conditions, their energy and their focus better than everyone else will be taking home the biggest prizes.
1. Wu Chunyan
Who are they? 35-year-old recurve athlete from China.
World ranking: 10
Best result: Reigning Paralympic and World Champion.
What’s the story? One of the most decorated para archers of all time, Chunyan is the cream of the vast investment that China made into parasport in the 21st century. Three times a para world champion – at Donaueschingen 2015, ‘s-Hertogenbosch 2019 and Pilsen 2023 – she finally took the medal she craved the most in Paris 2024: individual recurve gold, after a silver in Rio 2016 and a bronze in Tokyo 2020.
She has a long way to go to match the achievements of Zahra Nemati, the Iranian with three Paralympic titles (who will be in Gwangju as a coach), but that may be the sort of ambitious legacy she would like to leave. No one has ever won four titles in the same bowstyle at the para worlds.
What’s the goal? We haven’t see much of Wu internationally this year, but based on past form it seems unlikely she’d settle for anything less than gold. Her biggest rivals in recurve women are likely to be Ziva Lavrinc and Elisabetta Mijno.
2. Oznur Cure Girdi
Who are they? 27-year-old compound athlete from Türkiye.
World ranking: 8
Best result: Reigning Paralympic, World and European Champion.
What’s the story? Girdi was already riding high before her extraordinary triumph came at Paris 2024, after she broke the compound women’s world record in the ranking round and went on to defeat Fatemeh Hemmati in the final.
There was plenty of notice given – she had podiumed twice more since her win in Pilsen in 2023, where she beat Sheetal Devi after going behind in the first end. But it was a well-deserved victory for an exuberant competitor, one of the most positive and passionate in the field. “I could give my life for my country. I’m so happy everyone will listen to our national anthem,” she said after the last win.
What’s the goal? A favourite for gold, but she will likely have to see off Devi, Nur Syahidah Alim or world number two Jodie Grinham to cement her spot as the current queen of para compound, as well as an on-fire Jessica Stretton who won both European Para Cup legs this year.
3. Guillaume Toucoullet
Who are they? 40-year-old recurve athlete from France.
World ranking: 6
Best result: Silver at the Dubai 2022 World Archery Para Championships.
What’s the story? Toucoullet, a veteran of the European para circuit, has a string of near misses at world level with many, many silver medals in his collection. He has also not impressed at any of the three Paralympics he attended, losing in his first match in Paris last year.
His best effort remains a silver at the worlds in 2022, although he makes it into the one-to-watch category with an impressive performance at Nove Mesto earlier this year. One of just two archers from France – himself and Maxime Guérin – is this his moment to finally shine? He seems prepared enough.
What’s the goal? Recurve men’s gold will be a challenge with athletes including Harvinder Singh, Samuel Molina and Lukasz Ciszek all vying for the title after big performances in the last year. But experience may show, and Toucoullet has plenty.
4. Sheetal Devi
Who are they? 18-year-old compound athlete from India.
World ranking: 6
Best result: Asian Games Champion in 2022.
What’s the story? The extraordinary journey of Sheetal Devi, born with a rare congenital disorder that left her without arms, is perhaps the greatest and most inspirational legacy of the original ‘armless archer’ Matt Stutzman. After winning her first major in 2022 at the Asian Games, her profile rocketed again, and a silver in Pilsen followed by mixed team bronze in Paris saw her on the biggest podiums.
“Archery is everything to me. Archery is my identity,” Devi said to the BBC after winning yet another award. “No one knew me, and I didn’t know anybody. But after I became an archer, I came to know everyone and now they know me as well.”
Without question the highest profile athlete in Gwangju, much is expected.
What’s the goal? Compound women’s gold will be a tough challenge, with Girdi and Grinham looking to build on their Paralympic form and Stretton looking dangerous. But Devi is expected to medal. It’s more a question of what colour.
5. Cameron Radigan
Who are they? 23-year-old recurve athlete from Great Britain.
World ranking: 10
Best result: Team silver at Dubai 2022 World Archery Para Championships.
What’s the story? Scotland’s finest Cameron Radigan has been stringing together a long line of consistent podium results in 2024 and 2025, with silver medals at both European Para Cup events this year.
Since his team world medal in 2022 with David Phillips – his first time leaving the country, and the first time he’d ever been on an aeroplane – he has shown ambition and dedication. It might well be his first big individual moment in Gwangju.
What’s the goal? In a crowded field against Singh, Toucoullet and others, is gold too much to ask? Maybe not.
