The crystal ball: Experts predict who will take Gwangju para worlds
It’s time for the main event. The Gwangju 2025 World Archery Para Championships begin tomorrow.
The para worlds will be held at the same venue as the Hyundai World Archery Championships earlier this month, with competition at the Gwangju International Archery Center and finals once again in 5.18 Democracy Square.
Fifteen world titles are on the line across recurve, compound and W1, in individual, doubles and mixed team events – plus two more in the visually impaired categories.
We asked four of archery’s more knowledgeable types to predict the winners in each of six categories:
- Karim Bashir – commentator
- Phil Knall – archery sales manager and photographer
- Bernardo Oliveira – consultant, coach and Olympian
- John Stanley – journalist
They made their picks guided by instinct, form and years of watching the sport. They argue, they get it wrong, but they usually pick the names worth following when the action starts.
You can watch the finals live streamed from Gwangju with a subscription to archery+.
| Expert | Recurve men | Recurve women | Compound men | Compound women | W1 men | W1 women |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karim Bashir | Harvinder Singh | Pooja | Ken Swagumilang | Jessica Stretton | Jason Tabansky | Kim Ok Geum |
| Phil Knall | Harvinder Singh | Elisabetta Mijno | Nathan MacQueen | Oznur Cure Girdi | Jason Tabansky | Kim Ok Geum |
| Bernardo Oliveira | Harvinder Singh | Elisabetta Mijno | Kevin Polish | Oznur Cure Girdi | Paolo Tonon | Sarka Pultar Musilova |
| John Stanley | Samuel Molina | Wu Chunyan | Kevin Polish | Jessica Stretton | Jason Tabansky | Sarka Pultar Musilova |
Recurve men: India’s to lose?
Three of four of our panel tipped India’s Harvinder Singh, the Paralympic Champion, to take gold in Gwangju, and it’s certainly hard to look past the world number one and Asian Champion.
Phil says: “He’s fresh off a double gold in the continental championships just two months ago, and has been rock solid overall.”
Bernado added: “Singh has been on form for years now. Back-to-back Paralympic medals and now the chance to repeat what Mete Gazoz did last year: hold Paralympic, continental and world titles simultaneously.”
Singh’s momentous gold at the Paralympics made him the first Indian archer to take any kind of medal at either Games. The Indian recurver won the Paralympic title at the second attempt after taking bronze in Tokyo, and was given the prestigious Padma Shri award as a result.
He is very much the figurehead of a powerhouse Indian team in Gwangju, and much is expected of the world number one – even if he did wander off the script in Nove Mesto earlier this year.
John threw in an alternative scenario, the veteran Mexican Samuel Molina who won back to back continental titles in Morelia and Chicago earlier this year. “He has the capacity and apparently the form to go with it. If Singh wobbles, someone like Molina has the experience to push through all the way.”
Favourite: Harvinder Singh
Recurve women: Italy’s turn?
Two of our panel chose the veteran Italian Elisabetta Mijno, the multiple world para medallist who dominated the finals at the second leg of the 2025 European Para Archery Cup in Nove Mesto.
“She’s dropped a bit in the ranking after missing some events but came back strong in Nove Mesto,” said Phil.
”I think her time has come. She’s at the peak of her powers: physically, mentally and also with so much experience behind her,” said Bernardo.
Karim went for India’s Pooja, the world number two, who just missed out on a mixed team bronze in Paris.
“Didn’t nail the Paralympics, she would have been disappointed with that, but she’s bounced back with two medals this year (in Rome and Bangkok). So I think she’s going to be hungry. Very hungry,” said Karim.
John went for China’s Wu Chunyan, something of an unknown quantity at these championships after not appearing internationally this year. “She’s a three-time world champion, and a multiple Paralympic finalist. While we’re not sure of her exact form, she’s not exactly someone to start betting against.”
Favourite: Elisabetta Mijno
Compound men: Heading the USA’s way?
Two of our panel chose the USA’s Kevin Polish, the veteran compounder who broke the continental record in qualification at the continental cup in Morelia earlier this year scoring 707 points – three more than the previous Pan American record held by Matt Stutzman.
John said: “Kevin won both continental legs this year, in Morelia and Chicago, and that combined with the new record suggests he’s the man in form right now. Fifth place finishes in Pilsen and Paris means he’ll be hungry for something.”
Phil, by contrast picked out the experienced Nathan MacQueen, the mixed team gold medallist from Paris, to take the title, although also noted Polish’s chances.
Karim went for Ken Swagumilang, the 28-year-old from Indonesia. ”He likes big ticket events, having got bronze at the Asian Para Games in 2022, and got two more podium finishes this year. He’s my man.”
With world number one Ai Xinliang not competing this year, the field is wider, and several of the panel also mentioned India’s Rakesh Kumar, fourth in Paris, as having a good shot. But this may be Kevin’s to lose.
Favourite: Kevin Polish
Compound women: a tight field
Our panel was split on which who would triumph in compound women’s open, with John and Karim going for Britain’s Jessica Stretton and Bernado and Phil choosing current Paralympic champion Oznur Cure Girdi from Türkiye.
The Turkish archer seems the pick. “I will go against the world ranking and say Oznur Cure Girdi, one of the few members of this lineup who has competed in the World Cup this year, and has a Paralympic title from Paris to back it up,” said Phil.
Bernado added: “Oznur focused on the able-bodied circuit this year; this alone is testament to her shooting lately. A top eight finish at the World Cup stage in Madrid, narrowly losing to India’s Parneet Kaur is the kind of result many can only dream of. Now he shifts her focus to Para once again. Definitely one to watch.”
Of Stretton, the Paralympic champion in Rio nine years ago and notorious bookworm, John said: “This one is really about form. She demolished both the European Para Archery Cup legs of the circuit this year. It’s kind of a comeback as well, after not competing in Paris. Very, very dangerous.”
It’s another crowded field with Jodie Grinham, Phoebe Paterson Pine, Nur Syahidah Alim and Sheetal Devi all in with a chance.
Favourite: Wide open
W1 men: Tabansky on form
Three out of four of our panel picked the USA’s Jason Tabansky for the title.
It’s not too surprising as to why, after his Paralympic victory last year and dominating in both Chicago and Morelia this year. “He’s continuously proven he can dominate this category,” said Phil.
“The American is miles ahead. Paralympic Champion. He’s a serial gold medalist. He’s just a serial champion,” said Karim.
Tabansky may face a challenge from Zhang Tianxin from China, also on the podium in Paris, and you can never quite write off David Drahoninsky either.
Bernado had a different pick: Paolo Tonon of Italy. “He shot the match play world record just a couple of weeks ago, the previous one having stood for ten years. In terms of peak performance, he’s far ahead of everyone else. The question is: does he have the consistency? We’ll soon find out.”
Favourite: Jason Tabansky
W1 women: Experience shows?
Once again our panel was split, this time between two veteran titans of W1, Korea’s Kim Ok Geum and the Paralympic silver medallist, Czechia’s Sarka Pultar Musilova.
Bernado was very clear that Pultar Musilova, the world number one, was the favourite. “The world record holder arrives strong in Gwangju. Not only that she’s on good form, but China’s Chen Minyi, who beat her for gold in Paris 2024, won’t be competing. Who, then, can stop her?”
Phil, however, went for Kim, saying: “Women’s W1 is the category I feel the host nation has a chance to shine. Ok Geum missed the podium in Paris but has medalled at two events leading up to Gwangju and has a chance to top it off with a gold on home soil.”
Karim also, eventually, plumped for Kim. “This is the hardest of the lot really. Absolutely you can take your pick really from anyone in the top ten, but I think the Koreans are putting a bit more focus on it, and while Kim missed out in Paris she did get a bronze medal at the Asian Championships this year. She’s who I’m putting my money on.”
Favourite: A two horse race?
The Gwangju 2025 World Archery Para Championships begin on Tuesday 23 September.
