Marie Horackova finally reaches World Cup last four at Madrid 2026

Marie Horackova ticked off a much-needed box as she recovered from a set down to reach the recurve women final four at Madrid 2026 - stage four of the Hyundai Archery World Cup. 

Horackova, already one of Czechia's most accomplished ever archers as the country's sole World champion, had staggeringly never got into a final four of a World Cup despite being one of the top archers in recent years with her success in Berlin 2023 and as the current European recurve women record holder.

Today would see the 28-year-old archer's fortunes change though as she fought back from a disappointing 24 score in the first set to beat the Essen 2024 European champion Katharina Bauer 6-2, her next three ends being 29, 28, 29.

“It's been an amazing feeling to finally, finally get it,” said Horackova, who embraced boyfriend and fellow Czech archer Adam Li and the rest of the excited Czechia team after her result was confirmed at the Vallehermoso Stadium. “I'm very happy, more about the job I did today because when you shoot the qualification and you end up in the top eight, especially in second place, you have the door very open to reach the semis.”

“But still, the journey is very hard because there are so many very good archers. I had quite difficult matches, but I'm very happy that I kept myself in the process and didn't let the desire for the result catch me.”

“I had patience, not just for winning, because you still have to stay in the process and shoot good arrows. Also, it was nice weather here because we didn't have much wind today.”

“For the heat, we are almost used to it at this point. I don't know what else to say. I'm just very happy.”

It is a wonder how Horackova had never reached this stage before today in 20 attempts at archery's premier international circuit.

Whether she has won medals or not, the two-time Olympian is consistently one of the top performers in ranking rounds at 70 metres, field and indoor competitions since her breakout moment in Berlin three years ago.

In 2026 for example, she has been the top seed in three of the five competitions she's entered - Spring Arrows [silver], European Outdoor Championships 2026, Veronica's Cup [gold] - and was only two points behind Li Jiaman [673] on Wednesday's qualification [671] to be second seed.

Getting over the line in matches, however, has been her Achilles' heel thus far in World Cups, with too much mental pressure at qualification venues being the problem, more nerve-wracking than shooting in front of potentially hundreds in finals she revealed.

Who knows how she would've coped therefore with the plentiful support Elia Canales and Andres Temiño Mediel received yesterday from the home Spanish fans when they made it into the recurve mixed team gold medal match.

“I want to prepare for Sunday because fighting here on the main field is more difficult for me than at the finals. I love shooting on the podium.”

“I really love it. I enjoy the show, I enjoy the crowds, and I'm so happy that I have some people around who are cheering.”

“I think I was missing just one little thing to get through the eliminations and reach the semis. Maybe it was just the fear of winning.”

“So this is what kept me in the tunnel, focusing on my shooting and shooting good arrows,” she concluded.

Horackova's confidence in herself as a big-game player will get pushed to the test on Sunday when she faces Korea's Oh Yejin at Complutense National Stadium, which hosts the compound finals tomorrow first.