China within reach of maiden World Cup gold at Antalya 2026

Chinese celebrations echoed around the Gloria Sports Arena on Wednesday as the compound men’s team secured the nation’s first appearance in a Hyundai Archery World Cup gold medal match at Antalya 2026.

The seventh-seeded trio of Liao Jiahao, Shi Jingyu and Liu Jinyi edged Germany and Korea by one point each before beating world number two India 235-232 to achieve the historic feat.

Celebrations from the archers, coaches and teammates in the stands matched the significance of the moment in the Antalya heat.

“I wouldn’t say it was a huge surprise,” said 19-year-old Liu , who qualified 16th individually on Tuesday. “Reaching this stage proves that our training and technique are solid.”

“I’m also incredibly grateful to the coaches and leadership for their constant support and guidance.”

As he did in Shanghai last month, when China defeated India to secure compound men’s team bronze, Liu celebrated passionately after the semifinal victory.

“I’ve loved the compound bow since I was young, so I was overjoyed and felt very lucky when compound archery was successfully added to the programme for the LA28 Olympic Games,” he added. “It’s brought so much happiness to compound archers across the country.”

”China is actively developing the sport, allowing more talent and outstanding athletes to try their hand at it and enter the competitive arena. I believe this is cultivating a wealth of sports talent for our nation.”

Jinyi delivered one of the standout performances of the session, shooting eight consecutive arrows in the 10-ring, including Xs – the central zone within the 10-ring used to break ties in qualification – during the semifinal against India.

More than the score itself, however, the Chinese archer was proud of how calmly he handled the pressure of the international stage.

“My previous international outing was a bit tentative,” he explained. “I held back and didn’t shoot as boldly or aggressively as I could have.”

“But in this match, I felt accustomed to the pressure of the international stage and managed to really showcase my skills. That said, there’s still room for improvement.”

China will face Denmark in Saturday’s gold medal match after the European side defeated Mexico in the semifinals.

Competition in Antalya continues on Wednesday afternoon with recurve qualification at the Gloria Sports Arena.

Finals: Antalya 2026

• Compound men team: Denmark versus China
• Compound women team: Mexico versus Türkiye 

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