Samuel Molina fulfils long-held dream competing against able-bodied archers

Whilst Madrid 2026 represents the final opportunity for archers to secure tickets to Saltillo – as the fourth and final stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup – it means far more to Samuel Molina.

Making his debut on archery’s premier international circuit, Molina takes his place alongside fellow Mexicans Andrea Becerra and Sebastian Garcia, both stage winners this season. But simply shooting on the line at Vallehermoso Stadium already means so much more to him.

One of the leading para recurve men’s archers of the past decade – currently ranked world number five – Molina has chosen to test himself against able-bodied competition in Madrid, only the fifth recurve event of his able-bodied career.

It is only his second able-bodied competition of the year after Merida, one of the stops on the 2026 Indoor World Series, but, even more remarkably, his first outdoor international event of the season – para or otherwise.

“We had planned to attend a few events, but for one reason or another they didn’t happen,” said the two-time Para Pan American Champion. “We’re using this competition – which was one of our main goals – to gain experience. We’re also hoping to go to India for the para World Series because I’d really like to compete there as well – the level is very high.”

“So no, it’s nothing personal, and it’s not that we’ve intentionally stayed away. The timing just didn’t work out, which is why you haven’t seen us there.”

What began as a hobby has turned Molina into one of the world’s leading para archers in less than a decade, and his desire to compete in Ahmedabad later this year shows he has no intention of slowing down.

At 44, Molina is far from finished.

Missing out on the gold medal match before losing the bronze medal match at the Gwangju 2025 World Archery Para Championships has only fuelled his desire to succeed.

As well as wanting to win, though, Molina wants to be “great”.

An ambition that means something different to every athlete but, for him, it is about challenging the status quo.

“From the beginning, one of the goals we set was to compete against the able-bodied athletes and give them a good challenge.”

“Sharing the field with them has always been one of my dreams and one of my goals. We’re at a good level.”

“We’ve been working with coach Sandra [Fabiola Loza Tenorio], who’s been guiding me, and day by day we’ve been making progress and improving our scores,” he added. “I think every athlete dreams of achieving something great, and for me, doing well at a World Cup is a major accomplishment.”

He is a star in his own right, but this week Molina is part of Mexico’s reserve squad alongside Jesus Flores, Francisco Javier Márquez Sáenz and Victoria Virgen Martínez, while the nation’s leading recurve athletes prepare for the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games.

It almost feels unfair to describe Molina as part of a reserve squad after winning two Para Pan American Championships (2021 and 2024), the 2023 Para Pan American Games and both Americas Para Cups in 2025.

Yet the opportunity has presented itself for him to challenge himself mentally, physically and technically – the three areas he feels have improved most under the guidance of long-time coach Loza Tenorio, with whom he has worked for almost eight years.

Loza Tenorio is the daughter of Mexican para archery pioneer Ana María Tenorio, who has helped shape the discipline in the country since the 1970s.

It feels fitting that she now coaches one of Mexico’s greatest para archers, combining her own expertise with decades of family knowledge.

That partnership has already delivered success in para archery, but can it translate against the world’s best able-bodied archers?

“To be honest, this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to compete against athletes of this calibre,” added the two-time Paralympian. “I’m going to enjoy every moment of the experience, have fun and give it everything I’ve got so I can come away with the right mindset for what’s ahead and represent my country.”

“I’m motivated by competing against athletes who are at a higher level than I am – athletes who can push me and teach me something. It’s a great learning experience for me to compete against people who are stronger than I am.”

Molina demonstrated exactly that during recurve qualification at Vallehermoso Stadium, posting 593 points against one of the strongest able-bodied fields assembled this season.

Whatever the outcome in Madrid, it seems unlikely this will be his last appearance on the Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit.

One dream has been fulfilled. Now it is becoming the foundation for even bigger ambitions.