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Gomez Zuluaga stuns Schloesser for first individual World Cup gold at Madrid 2026

11 July 2026

Madrid, Spain

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Pablo Gomez Zuluaga raising his hands in the air and shouting after winning the compound men final at Madrid 2026.

Pablo Gomez Zuluaga produced the performance of his career to upset Mike Schloesser and claim compound men’s individual gold at the fourth stage of the 2026 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Madrid.

For a first individual Hyundai Archery World Cup title, it could hardly have come against a tougher opponent.

Schloesser had underlined his credentials earlier in the day by living up to his nickname, ‘Mister Perfect’, shooting a flawless 150 to defeat Simon Moritz – the Winnipeg 2025 World Archery Youth Championships under-18 champion – in the semifinals.

Gomez Zuluaga, meanwhile, had looked less convincing in his own semifinal, with only one perfect end in a 147-145 victory over Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chieh-Lun.

The final initially followed the expected script.

Schloesser opened with a perfect 30, while Gomez Zuluaga’s first arrow drifted into the nine, leaving the Colombian chasing from the outset.

But the momentum shifted in the closing stages.

Leading 89-88 after three ends, Schloesser twice dropped a point with narrowly wide nines in the final two ends. Gomez Zuluaga capitalised with back-to-back perfect 30s to secure a 148-147 victory.

“He’s an incredibly strong archer, so it’s rare for him to drop points like that,” Gomez Zuluaga said after defeating Schloesser for the first time. “You have to capitalise when it happens. During the match, I was trailing by a point for most of it.”

“In the end, he shot that nine, which gave me the slight advantage I needed to close it out – and we did. I think I achieved one of the goals I’ve had throughout my entire career, so I’ll just keep working, keep aiming for bigger things and I think we’re on the right track.”

Pablo Gomez Zuluaga aiming in the compound men final at Madrid 2026.

The contest was ultimately decided by the finest of margins.

Schloesser’s final nine missed the 10-ring by little more than a millimetre – the difference between defeat and a shoot-off.

Gomez Zuluaga, however, was simply delighted to have secured his place at the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final in Saltillo.

He celebrated with long-time Colombia coach Heber Mantilla as teammates applauded from the stands at Complutense National Stadium.

Among them were former Hyundai Archery World Cup Champions Sara Lopez and Alejandra Usquiano, who had earlier helped Colombia win compound women’s team gold.

Together with Luzmary Guedez, they have brought 11 Hyundai Archery World Cup titles to Colombia in compound women. Gomez Zuluaga now has the opportunity to become the first Colombian compound man to win the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final, surpassing Daniel Munoz’s bronze medal from Moscow 2019.

“It’s not just about the excitement,” said the 24-year-old. “I think this is one of the biggest competitions and it involves the toughest archers you can face.”

“It’s going to be a very, very tough challenge, which I think is the main thing. I’m excited.”

The next meeting between Gomez Zuluaga and Schloesser could therefore come in Saltillo, with the compound season on the circuit now complete.

Recurve finals conclude competition in Madrid on Sunday, beginning with the team medal matches.