The much-anticipated moment for Mexican sports has arrived, as the Mexican archery team prepares to make its debut at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this Thursday. The event will kick off with individual qualifying rounds, where six talented Mexican athletes will compete to showcase their prowess in the sport.
Leading the Mexican contingent is Tokyo 2020 medalist and current world runner-up, Alejandra Valencia. She is accompanied by a skilled and renewed generation of archers: Ana Paula Vázquez, Ángela Ruiz, Matías Grande, Javier Rojas, and Bruno Martínez. These athletes are set to represent Mexico among a distinguished group of 128 archers from 53 countries, all vying for podium finishes in five events: individual women’s and men’s, women’s and men’s teams, and mixed teams.
The mixed team event, which debuted at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, saw Mexico secure a bronze medal through the impressive performance of Alejandra Valencia and Luis Álvarez. This year, hopes are high for another strong showing.
The competition will commence at 1:30 a.m. Central Mexico time, with the women’s team taking to the shooting range at the historic Esplanade des Invalides, the designated venue for all archery competitions. The men, having recently triumphed at the Antalya 2024 Olympic Qualifier, will follow at 6:15 a.m. TCM.
In the individual qualifying rounds, 64 archers from each gender will shoot 72 arrows to determine their rankings for the knockout phase. In this phase, archers will face one-on-one matches, with the top-ranked archers competing against the lowest-ranked, continuing in a “kill or be killed” format. These intense duels will take place from July 30 to August 4.
The results from the individual rounds will also influence the overall rankings for the team and mixed team events. The women’s team competitions will occur on July 28, progressing from the round of 16 to the medal matches, while the men’s team events are scheduled for July 29. The mixed team event will be held on August 2.
As Mexico’s archers prepare to take aim at Olympic glory, the nation watches with bated breath, hoping for a repeat of past successes and perhaps even greater achievements. The dedication and skill of these athletes underscore the growing prowess of Mexican sports on the international stage, setting a promising tone for the rest of the Games.
