Across the international circuit, mixed team competition has created opportunities for nations that previously struggled to field full squads.
In 2019, at the fourth stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup, Moldova’s Alexandra Mirca and Dan Olaru captured their country’s first medal on the circuit with silver in the recurve mixed team event – a result far less likely under the traditional three-person team format.
For smaller federations, the equation is simple. Developing one elite male and one elite female archer is far more achievable than assembling a full squad of three.
“You can’t imagine how many times we’ve talked about how nice it would be if the team event was two people rather than three,” said Luxembourg compound archer Mariya Klein, who won her country’s first World Archery Championships medal in the mixed team event in 2023 alongside Gilles Seywert.
“Finding three skilled archers at the same time who are equally motivated and competitive is very difficult,” she added. ”It’s easier to have one good archer from each gender.”
When a medal becomes realistically attainable, archers and coaches from across the World Cup circuit agree, national federations are more likely to invest in athletes and development programmes.
“For small countries especially who haven’t got a full team, competing in mixed team might be more realistic,” said Naomi Folkard, a longtime British international archer and coach. “And if there’s another Olympic medal opportunity, they’re more likely to get funding to train full time, travel and get the support they need.”
