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An San keeps Korea’s recurve women hopes alive at Antalya 2026

9 June 2026

Antalya, Türkiye

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An San aiming during a match at Antalya 2026.

An San steered her way into another recurve women’s final four at Antalya 2026 on Friday, keeping Korea’s hopes alive as the nation’s last remaining archer in the category.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion is competing as one of Korea’s reserve archers for the 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup season – as was Jang Minhee in Shanghai – after failing to finish inside the top three at the national trials. As a result, she will not represent Korea at the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

In Türkiye, however, Korea’s recurve women campaign now rests on the shoulders of one of the sport’s biggest stars.

“I feel very good,” said the defending champion. “I always wanted to reach the finals because this World Cup is my first [of the year]. I cannot say I’m shooting as well as before, so I want to go further.”

“The weather was very windy and the temperature was hot, but I tried. I have a lot of confidence right now and I did it, I made it.”

Top seed Oh Yejin was eliminated by Mexico’s Ana Paula Vazquez, Gwangju 2025 World Archery Champion Kang Chaeyoung lost to Italy’s Roberta Di Francesco, while Lee Yunji exited in the 1/24 eliminations against France’s Amélie Cordeau.

An San herself was pushed all the way in the quarterfinals by China’s Yu Qi.

Under the hot Antalya sun, Yu recovered from a slow opening set of 22 points to shoot a perfect 30 in the second and level the match at 2-2 before the pair traded sets into a deciding fifth.

As she has done so many times before, An San held her nerve, shooting 10, nine and nine while Yu dropped an eight to hand the Korean her fifth Hyundai Archery World Cup final four appearance.

Zhu Jingyi and An San giving a thumbs up after reaching the recurve women final four at Antalya 2026.

An San’s failure to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games sent shockwaves through the sport, but after returning to international competition last season she now has the opportunity to secure a place at the 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in Saltillo.

“I really wanted to go to the Asian Games, but I can’t, and that’s okay,” said the 25-year-old. “I want to go to the World Cup Final and I will try my best on Sunday.”

After returning to international competition in 2025, An San spent much of last season competing under the added pressure of a home Hyundai World Archery Championships in Gwangju.

Missing selection for the upcoming Asian Games means 2026 has become a comparatively lighter season for the Korean archer, allowing her to focus fully on the Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit.

A successful title defence this year would complete an impressive comeback after she finished with bronze at Gwangju 2025 and would also secure qualification for the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in Saltillo.

Sunday will also be a busy day for Germany’s Moritz Wieser, who defeated Türkiye’s Mete Gazoz in straight sets to reach the first Hyundai Archery World Cup final four of his career.

The 2021 European Championships bronze medallist and teammate Katharina Bauer are also scheduled to shoot in the recurve mixed team bronze medal match earlier in the day.

“I just tried to focus on my shots,” said Wieser. “I had a really good feeling for my shot today throughout the whole elimination round, and I just tried to keep pushing.”

With qualification and eliminations now complete, recurve finals day takes place on Sunday in Antalya following Saturday’s compound medal matches.