Mexico’s Samuel Molina won the recurve men’s open competition at the inaugural Americas Para Archery Cup in Morelia, beating Juan Diego Blas Fernández of Guatemala 6-0 in the final.
It adds yet another major continental title to the 43-year-old’s record, after winning individual gold at the Monterrey 2021 Para Pan American Championships, the Santiago 2023 Parapan-American Games, and the 2024 Pan American Para Championships, along with team and mixed team titles.
The sole entrant from outside the Americas, Ziva Lavrinc of Slovenia, took gold in recurve women’s open. There was, however, a small upset in the compound women’s open category as favourite and top seed Diana Gonzabay Guaman was beaten in the semifinal by Helena Nunes de Moraes of Brazil, who went on to win.
The USA’s Kevin Polish followed up setting a new continental record in compound men’s open by winning gold, beating second seed Daniel Comeau of Canada 143-141 in the final. Polish also took a gold medal in team competition with Douglas Godfrey.
Strong team and individual results pushed the USA to the top of the medal table, which will build confidence in the camp for the other big competitions this year.
The second Americas stage of the continental cup will be held in Chicago, USA from 27 to 31 August, shortly before the World Archery Para Championships in Gwangju in September.
You can watch delayed coverage of the finals on Sunday with a subscription to archery+. The footage is expected to be available no later than seven days after the event.
