Preview: Oceania championships return as archers gather in Auckland
The 2026 World Archery Oceania Target Championships take place this week, bringing the region’s top archers together in Auckland, New Zealand, from 16 to 19 April.
Held biennially, the last edition took place in Adelaide, Australia, in 2023. While the official qualification pathway for the LA28 Olympic Games begins in 2027, the Auckland event remains an important part of the cycle, offering valuable early positioning.
A total of 83 archers from 10 nations will compete across recurve, compound and barebow divisions, including under-18, under-21, open, masters and para categories.
Recurve archers will look to build momentum ahead of the Olympic qualification phase, while compound athletes target mixed team opportunities, and barebow competitors also contest continental honours.
Competition will be held at Bruce Pulman Park in South Auckland, close to sites such as the Auckland Botanic Gardens, with athletes also experiencing the region’s cultural diversity.
Key information
What’s happening? The 2026 Oceania Target Championships, the premier continental event for the region, held on 16-19 April in Auckland, New Zealand.
What’s at stake? Continental titles.
Who’s competing? 83 archers from 10 countries.
What’s the story? The event provides competition opportunities across multiple age groups and divisions, offering an opportunity for archers to benchmark performance ahead of future major events.
Event schedule
- Thursday 16 April: Qualifying
- Friday 17 April: Qualifying
- Saturday 18 April: Eliminations
- Sunday 19 April: Finals
How to watch
Live scores will be available on the World Archery website, with coverage across World Archery’s digital platforms throughout the competition.
The event will not be livestreamed.
Who’s competing?
Full entries are available online.
These are the top-ranked archers competing in Auckland:
- Recurve men: Ben McLean, New Zealand (world rank: 488)
- Recurve women: Isabella Matthews, New Zealand (world rank: 444)
- Compound men: Riku Van Tonder, New Zealand (world rank: 97)
A total of 83 archers (48 men, 35 women) from the national teams of the following 10 countries are registered to compete at these championships: Australia, Fiji, Tahiti, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
Competition at the 2026 Oceanian Target Championships begins on Thursday.
