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Bakker claims first target major title at European Outdoor Championships

24 May 2026

Antalya, Türkiye

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The Netherlands’ Willem Bakker became the new European recurve men’s champion at the 2026 European Outdoor Championships in Antalya, beating Italy’s Mauro Nespoli 6-2 in the gold medal match.

“It was amazing,” said the 25-year-old. “It felt unreal. I was like, ‘Oh, I hope I get it,’ when I walked on.”

Bakker was the European field champion in 2023 and won bronze in the same discipline at last year’s World Games.

The victory caps a strong week for the Netherlands, which also won compound mixed team gold and compound women’s team gold, alongside Mike Schloesser’s bronze medal in the compound men’s individual event.

“I mean, the whole week was just crazy,” Bakker said. “Yesterday with the compounds, we had a lot of success. We got two teams that became European champions. And Mikey as well shot a beautiful bronze medal. I just wanted to make it a third title.”

His opponent Nespoli – coached by Italian legend Michele Frangilli, who won this title in 2002 – opened with a seven and an eight in the first set but responded strongly in the second.

However, the Italian never quite found the 10-ring when he needed it thereafter, and Bakker soon built a 4-2 advantage.

A high-pressure final arrow from the Dutchman, which edged into the 10, was enough to seal victory in the fourth set.

In the bronze medal match, a relaxed-looking Mete Gazoz made full use of home advantage to defeat France’s Baptiste Addis.

Gazoz and Elif Gokkir later delivered another gold medal for the host nation by defeating France in the recurve mixed team final, while Germany enjoyed an exceptional day with victories in both the recurve men’s and women’s team events.

In the women’s individual competition, AIN’s Nurinisso Makhmudova added the outdoor European title to the indoor crown she won in February.

She defeated Spain’s Elia Canales with a fluid and composed performance.

Canales never quite found her rhythm and a third set of 26 appeared to knock her confidence. She did not hit another 10 for the remainder of the match.

The result marks a heartbreaking third silver medal for the Spaniard in a major European final, following runner-up finishes at the Krakow-Malopolska 2023 European Games and the Essen 2024 European Archery Championships.

Still only 24 years old, Canales will have further opportunities at the Istanbul 2027 European Games and the 2028 European Championships in Nottingham, Great Britain.