Five archers to watch at the 2022 European Archery Championships

The 2022 European Archery Championships start next week in Munich with continental titles on the line as well as the first quota places for the 2023 European Games.

Reigning European Champions Lisa Barbelin, Pablo Acha, Tanja Gellenthien and Yakup Yildiz are registered to compete alongside the world’s number one ranked men, Mete Gazoz and Mike Schloesser.

In addition to the individuals, a whole host of teams are looking for podium spots including the world-ranked number two recurve women’s side and host nation, Germany.

The event is also special for Munich. The German city is celebrating the 50th anniversary of hosting the 1972 Olympic Games, a Games which saw the return of archery to the Olympic sports programme.

Some 296 archers from 40 countries are registered to compete and we take a look at five who we’re keeping an eye on.

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1. Lisell Jaatma

Who are they? Compound woman from Estonia.

What’s the story? Sitting in her highest-ever world ranking, Lisell registered her first-ever individual Hyundai Archery World Cup medal when she won bronze in Antalya.

No stranger to medals, but having mainly collected team podiums to date, the 22-year-old is currently in the form of her career. Her bronze in Turkey was then followed by a fourth place at stage two in Gwangju.

In total, she has already collected four Hyundai Archery World Cup stage medals this season, with that individual bronze joined by a silver and bronze in the compound women’s team event – and a silver with her brother Robin in the mixed team event.

What’s the goal? Secure her first-ever individual senior European Archery Championship medal.

Vital statistics

• Age: 22
• World ranking: 9
• Best result: Bronze at this year’s Hyundai Archery World Cup season opener
• Instagram: @liselljaatma

2. Katharina Bauer

Who are they? Recurve woman from Germany.

What’s the story? Like Jaatma, Bauer is currently in red-hot form and, also like the Estonian, she has four 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup medals to her name so far this season. Three medals won with teammates: a mixed gold, taken with Felix Wieser in Gwangju, and two recurve women’s team silvers – plus an individual bronze from Antalya.

Could now be the right time for the world number 11 to show her continental strength and make the home fans happy in Munich?

What’s the goal? A European title on home soil.

Vital statistics

• Age: 26
• World ranking: 11
• Best result: Hyundai Archery World Cup stage gold (team) and bronze (individual)
• Instagram: @_kaathi__

3. Mike Schloesser

Who are they? Compound man from the Netherlands.

What’s the story? It may surprise everyone that the archer known as Mister Perfect has never won an individual medal in either the youth or senior European Championships.

The current world number one and seemingly unstoppable Dutchman has won nearly everything else, including this season taking both individual and team golds at the European Indoor Championships and winning both stages of the Hyundai Archery World Cup so far.

Surely, this year it seems inevitable?

What’s the goal? His first-ever individual European Championship medal, preferably gold.

Vital statistics

• Age: 28
• World ranking: 1
• Best result: World Archery Champion (2013), three-time Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion (2016, 2019, 2021)
• Instagram: @mikeschloesser

4. Miguel Alvarino Garcia

Who are they? Recurve man from Spain.

What’s the story? A return to form on one of the highest stages has seen the Spanish archer become one of the big favourites to medal in Munich. 

Back in 2015 – his breakout season – Miguel was Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion and European Games Champion, but ever since, his success has come primarily in team events.

Now, in 2022, Alvarino is the only recurve archer to medal in both stages of the Hyundai Archery World Cup so far and – despite the success of seven years ago, his current world ranking of four is his highest-ever.

Munich will be the fifth time he has appeared in the continental championship but, to date, he has no medals to show for it.

What’s the goal? An individual or team medal will do nicely.

Vital statistics

• Age: 28
• World ranking: 4
• Best result: World Cup Final and European Games gold medallist
• Instagram: @miguel_alvgar

5. Ukraine

Who are they? National team.

What’s the story? Not an individual but a nation. If you need to know why they are selected here, then read this.

Ukraine come to Munich with a team of four coaches and 10 archers; four compounders – Serhiy Atamanenko, Viktoriia Kardash, Olha Khomutovska and Kseniia Shkliar – and a full squad of six recurve archers – Solomiya Hnyp, Veronika Marchenko, Anastasia Pavlova, Oleksii Hunbin (world rank: 30), Ivan Kozhokar (34) and Artem Ovchynnikov.

Historically, Ukraine has never medalled in a compound event at the championships, with the recurve seeing more success over the years.

Marchenko won the women’s individual gold at the event in 2016, the second time that had gone to the nation after Lina Pavchuk in 1998. Ukrainian archers also won recurve men’s bronze in 1998, silver in 2008 and bronze again in 2010. The recurve teams have fared even better, with the men taking bronze in 2012 and silver last time out, in 2021, with a team featuring Hunbin and Kozhokar.

The women’s team has won five medals including the European title twice, in 2004 and 2016, while the mixed team took bronze in 2016.

Hnyp, Hunbin, Kozhokar, Marchenko, Ovchynnikov and Pavlova all competed at the first stage of the 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Antalya.

What’s the goal? Representing their country on the continental stage, plus a medal or two.