As Europe’s elite converge on the sunny shores of Antalya for the 2026 European Outdoor Championships, the tension is building and the weight of history is beginning to tell.
Many of Europe’s greatest Olympic and world medallists have also triumphed at this tournament, and with the LA28 Olympic Games now only two years away, both recurve and compound archers are beginning to see the target more clearly on the horizon.
There will always be experienced veterans in the field, but this list focuses on the fearless younger talent looking to make their mark. With the first arrows about to fly in Antalya and a field packed with captivating storylines, here are five standout archers to keep a close eye on.
Fenna Stallen
Who are they? A 15-year-old compound archer from the Netherlands.
What’s the story? Stallen has dominated the under-21 indoor circuit over the past year, collecting four gold medals and one silver on the Indoor World Series circuit, while also setting a new under-21 European qualification record of 590 in Lausanne.
She also posted a Dutch under-18 national record of 706 outdoors last July, but her major breakthrough came with individual bronze at the Winnipeg 2025 World Archery Youth Championships against one of the deepest youth fields in the world.
This will be her first major senior European event.
Stallen has made no secret of her ambition to reach LA28, likely as the compound mixed team partner of Mike Schloesser. Antalya could represent the first major step on that path.
What’s the goal? A podium finish would make a major statement.
Vital statistics:
- Age: 15
- World ranking: 250
- Best result: A bronze medal at the World Archery Youth Championships.
- Instagram: @fenna.stallen.archer
Ajay Scott
Who are they? Great Britain’s leading compound men’s archer is carrying excellent form into the outdoor season.
What’s the story? Still only 22, Scott arrives after reaching the final of the Vegas Shoot with a perfect 900 qualification score – becoming the first British man to achieve the feat since Liam Grimwood in 2011.
He also won in Lausanne and finished second in Rio during the indoor season.
Outdoors, Scott is still searching for a major senior breakthrough but claimed silver at last year’s Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games.
Scott and Ella Gibson also won compound mixed team gold at the Shanghai 2025 Hyundai Archery World Cup, securing Great Britain’s first mixed team World Cup stage title in six years and improving on the silver the pair achieved in Antalya the previous season.
At present, Scott and Gibson appear likely to become Great Britain’s leading mixed team pairing towards LA28.
What’s the goal? To make a major impact outdoors.
Vital statistics:
- Age: 22
- World ranking: 9
- Best result: A silver medal at the World University Games.
- Instagram: @ajayscott_
Berkay Akkoyun
Who are they? A central figure in the new generation of Turkish recurve talent.
What’s the story? It may not have dominated headlines, but Türkiye topped the medal table at last month’s Hyundai Archery World Cup in Shanghai ahead of China and Korea.
Much of that success came through the recurve men’s trio of Berkay Akkoyun, Berkim Tumer and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion Mete Gazoz – all of whom could easily feature on this list.
As a team, Türkiye enters Antalya among the favourites for gold, but all three also have genuine individual medal potential.
Akkoyun is singled out here after his performances on home soil at the European Grand Prix Spring Arrows, where the Lilleshall 2022 European under-18 champion posted an international personal best of 681 – six points higher than teammate Gazoz.
The 21-year-old has repeatedly shown he thrives in front of home crowds, winning the under-21 European indoor title in Samsun last year and the 2024 Conquest Cup, alongside multiple team medals both domestically and internationally.
Could this be his breakout moment at senior level? Possibly.
What’s the goal? A team medal appears highly realistic, but Akkoyun will also want to establish himself individually alongside his teammates.
Vital statistics:
- Age: 21
- World ranking: 39
- Best result: European under-18 champion (2022) and European under-21 silver medallist (2024).
- Instagram: @berkayakkoyunn
Elia Canales
Who are they? One of Europe’s leading recurve women.
What’s the story? Twice a silver medallist at major European events – the Essen 2024 European Archery Championships and Krakow-Malopolska 2023 European Games – Canales will be determined to finally take gold in Antalya.
Like several others on this list, she also enjoyed a strong indoor season, winning individual titles in Nimes and Luxembourg.
Perhaps her biggest achievement of all, however, came at the Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships, where she and Andres Temiño Mediel defeated Korea for mixed team gold.
Spain’s women’s recurve squad also carries strong depth. Paula Álvarez González, still only 18, helped secure team gold at the 2024 European Youth Championships.
Spain will firmly believe a podium finish is achievable in Antalya.
What’s the goal? The individual title. Another silver medal will not be enough.
Vital statistics:
- Age: 24
- World ranking: 23
- Best individual result: A silver medal at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games.
- Instagram: @eliacanales01
Nicolas Girard
Who are they? The reigning world champion and world number two.
What’s the story? Girard’s victory at the Gwangju 2025 Hyundai World Archery Championships was anything but inevitable and, with both Mike Schloesser and Mathias Fullerton arriving in strong form, the compound men’s title in Antalya feels wide open.
The Frenchman enters the championships after a strong silver-medal finish in Shanghai, solid indoor results and a clear determination to prove he belongs alongside the very best compound archers in the world.
It has been quite the journey for the second French compound archer ever to win a world title after Sebastien Peineau, particularly after several inconsistent seasons earlier in his career.
Girard may keep his emotions guarded publicly, but a continental title in Antalya would represent another huge statement.
What’s the goal? Nothing less than gold.
Vital statistics:
- Age: 25
- World ranking: 2
- Best result: Reigning Hyundai World Archery Champion.
- Instagram: @nicogirardarchery
