Oran 2026: Five archers to watch at the African Archery Championships
Oran in Algeria is hosting the 2026 African Archery Championships from 21-26 July, the 15th edition of the event. It's always a special occasion.
The last edition of the championships was held in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) in 2025 and before that in Nabeul in 2023, with many of the previous champions returning.
The competition finals are being made available to watch free of charge on archery+ this weekend. With Algeria currently in the middle of a heatwave, the action should be just as hot.
We took a look at – and spoke to – five of the biggest challengers for this year‘s African title.
Adrien Charoux (Mauritius)
The defending champion from Abidjan is a 15 year veteran of the sport, switching to compound around six years ago. Charoux was third in 2023, before dominating Nigeria’s Aliyu Abubakar in the final last year, and is on the hunt for another gold medal.
“I’m happy to be here representing my country once again. I hope to give my best,” he said. “It’s a little complicated to manage the stress because we’ve already reached the top of the podium, so we’re kind of the ones to beat now, and that’s complicated. I think every athlete always wants to do better.”
Charoux, who cites the ability to handle pressure as his greatest strength, noted the tough conditions ahead, with Algeria experiencing a heatwave. “The heat is the same for everyone competing. It's a new edition with challenges.”
Charoux was part of a strong perfomance from the Mauritius delegation in Abidjan, who also took the compound men‘s team and recurve men’s team gold medals home.
Aliou Drame (Senegal)
Drame is another defending champion from Abidjan in the small para compound men‘s field, who also won the title in Nabeul in 2023. The Senegalese athlete competed at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, finishing 17th, and also competed on the European para cup circuit last year.
“I’ve been making progress, so I’ve continued my training and I’ve also seen how people from the para community are starting to show up, and that really touched me,” he said.
Drame was one of just two African para archers representing the continent in Paris, the other being South Africa‘s Shaun Anderson.
“I’m preparing as I always do. I respect everyone, too. My goal is to give it my all and push myself even further. I put myself on equal footing with everyone else, so may the best man win. Everything I do here, I also do it for Senegal,” added Drame.
Elisabeth Taljaard (Namibia)
The 28-year-old Taljaard last appeared in at the African Championships back in Windhoek in 2016, finishing fifth, although she enters this tournament as the highest ranked African compounder competing. Her most recent major tournament was an appearance at the Chengdu 2025 World Games.
“A good result here would be just to absolutely enjoy the whole tournament. The goal is always to end at the top, to get the gold medal to be first, but to get there one should enjoy every arrow,” she said.
Taljaard is part of a Namibian delegation that includes Lutz Wahlers and Jacqueline Coetzee, the barebow men and compund women‘s champions in Nabeul.
“Every archer should just show up for themselves and do their best, and the rest will happen. Everything will work out as it should,” she said.
Franck Eyeni (Cote D'Ivoire)
Eyeni is another defending champion from Abidjan, winning recurve men‘s gold on home turf.
“Yes, I won the gold medal in my home country. There was pressure from the country; everyone back home was counting on me, too. And by the grace of God, I pulled everything together, made it to the podium, and took first place.“ he said.
It's been a tough season fror the 25-year-old, who regularly competes indoors at the Nimes tournament, like a few other Francophone African archers. “This year a lot of difficulties because there have been changes. And now, I’m approaching it with a different mindset. I’m trying to implement what my coach and I have put in place. But I’m positive. I’m going to see it through to the end.”
Eyeni will face a larger field in recurve men. “Everyone wants to be African champion. And also, there’s Algeria, which has prepared to host this competition. There’s Tunisia, and there’s Egypt too, which has made it this far. Last year, they weren’t there. A lot of teams have prepared.
“I’m going to try to put difficulties behind me, move forward, and defend my title.”
Abdelkader Izri (Algeria)
Hometown hero Izri comes into this tournament ranked 29th in the world in para recurve men, and as the defending champion from Abidjan, where he dominated his final against Bakary Kouyate.
“This tournament, this championship being held in Algeria, really makes me want to give it my all, because retaining the title - defending the title - is the most important thing. And to raise the Algerian flag even higher, and to hear the national anthem a second time, that would be the greatest gift for me.” he said.
Part of a huge Algerian delegation, Izri, who has competed on the para circuit for a decade, is still looking for an elusive Paralympic spot after three attempts, but seems to have hit a new groove after his continental win in 2025.
“My experience. That’s my greatest strength. My disability pushes me even higher. It gives me goals.”
With thanks to Saber Ben Brahim.
