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Turkish teen Gokkir beats 2023 world champion Horackova in Antalya

26 April 2026

Antalya, Türkiye

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Elif Gokkir just after release during the Spring Arrows 2026 gold medal match.

Elif Gokkir delivered under scoreboard pressure to win recurve women’s individual gold at the European Grand Prix Spring Arrows in Antalya, beating 2023 World Archery Champion Marie Horackova.

The final marked the first meeting between the two athletes, who had already set the tone earlier in the week by finishing Wednesday’s qualification as the top two seeds. Horackova led the field on 674 – a score bettered only by three men across both recurve categories – while Gokkir followed closely with 668.

As she had done four days earlier, Horackova started strongly at the Antalya Centennial Centre, opening with a 30-point set to take the first end.

It was a confident start from the Czech archer, competing in her first outdoor international event of the year, but it would be the last time in the match she won a set.

The second finished tied at 28-28, before both athletes matched each other arrow-for-arrow in a 29-29 third, leaving the match level at 3-3.

The fourth set felt decisive – and it was.

2024 European Youth Championships gold medallist Gokkir delivered her only perfect 30, taking her total number of 10s to nine, while Horackova shot back-to-back high eights, one left and one right.

Horackova’s form looked no different to the opening set, but something was clearly amiss as she reacted after surrendering the lead for the first time.

It carried into the fifth, as her next arrow landed low into the seven, leaving her with an unlikely mountain to climb.

The 19-year-old Gokkir held her composure, closing out the match 28-26 to seal victory and the title – her second individual international gold, following the 2024 Conquest Cup in her hometown of Istanbul.

Elif Gokkir aiming with Marie Horackova waiting on the shooting line during their match.

While the sudden drop will frustrate Horackova, the win continues a positive run of form for Gokkir, who claimed her first World Cup medals in Puebla earlier this month as part of Türkiye’s women’s team (silver) and mixed team (bronze).

She went one better in Antalya, as she and Berkay Akkoyun defeated Great Britain’s Megan Costall and Alex Sillitoe Price 5-4 to win mixed team gold.

Lorenzo Gubbini went one better still, securing a medal in all three of his events.

In his second season in Italy’s compound men’s team, Spring Arrows is proving a favourable hunting ground for Gubbini. He successfully defended his compound men’s individual and team titles from 2025 and added mixed team bronze alongside Giulia Di Nardo, taking his Antalya medal tally to five.

“That felt great,” said Gubbini, who cupped his hands to the Italian supporters after beating Przemyslaw Konecki. “I’m very grateful. That’s [European Championships] the main goal of the season and I can’t wait to be there.”

And where are the 2026 European Outdoor Championships? Back in Antalya from 18-24 May, where both Gokkir and Gubbini will be hoping to replicate their success.

You can watch back all the finals action from the Spring Arrows 2026 on archery+.