Chinese celebrations echoed around the Gloria Sports Arena on Wednesday as the compound men’s team secured the nation’s first appearance in a Hyundai Archery World Cup gold medal match at Antalya 2026.
The seventh-seeded trio of Liao Jiahao, Shi Jingyu and Liu Jinyi edged Germany and Korea by one point each before beating world number two India 235-232 to achieve the historic feat.
Celebrations from the archers, coaches and teammates in the stands matched the significance of the moment in the Antalya heat.
“I wouldn’t say it was a huge surprise,” said 19-year-old Liu , who qualified 16th individually on Tuesday. “Reaching this stage proves that our training and technique are solid.”
“I’m also incredibly grateful to the coaches and leadership for their constant support and guidance.”
As he did in Shanghai last month, when China defeated India to secure compound men’s team bronze, Liu celebrated passionately after the semifinal victory.
“I’ve loved the compound bow since I was young, so I was overjoyed and felt very lucky when compound archery was successfully added to the programme for the LA28 Olympic Games,” he added. “It’s brought so much happiness to compound archers across the country.”
”China is actively developing the sport, allowing more talent and outstanding athletes to try their hand at it and enter the competitive arena. I believe this is cultivating a wealth of sports talent for our nation.”
