Experts predict: Winners at the Tlaxcala 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final
The international season comes to its exciting conclusion this weekend in the Mexican city of Tlaxcala.
Thirty-two of the world’s best archers will arrive before Thursday night’s draw – with the compound finals set to take place on Saturday 15 October and the recurve finals on Sunday 16 October 2022.
Who’ll lift the trophies? Will Sara Lopez extend her incredible circuit record of six wins? Will it be a return to the top of the podium for Olympic Champions An San and Mete Gazoz? Does Mexico have a home winner in its ranks? Who’ll produce the surprise of the weekend?
We asked this pane of experts to pick the winners:
- Nicky Hunt, former world number one and broadcast analyst
- Sjef van den Berg, two-time Olympian
- Dean Alberga, photographer
- Vanessa Lee, reporter
- John Stanley, journalist
- Linda Ochoa–Anderson, 20-year international career for Mexico and the USA
- Chris Wells, journalist
Here’s what they had to say…
| Expert | Recurve men | Recurve women | Compound men | Compound women |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicky Hunt | Kim Woojin | Choi Misun | Mike Schloesser | Ella Gibson |
| Sjef van den Berg | Kim Woojin | An San | Nicolas Girard | Ella Gibson |
| Dean Alberga | Kim Woojin | An San | Nicolas Girard | Sara Lopez |
| Vanessa Lee | Kim Woojin | Choi Misun | Mike Schloesser | Ella Gibson |
| John Stanley | Marcus D’Almeida | Choi Misun | Jimmy Lutz | Ella Gibson |
| Linda Ochoa-Anderson | Kim Woojin | An San | Miguel Becerra | Ella Gibson |
| Chris Wells | Kim Je Deok | Katharina Bauer | Mike Schloesser | Sara Lopez |
The case for Marcus D’Almedia winning the recurve men’s trophy. Marcus is ready. Paris removed the self-doubt that has plagued much of his career. He podiumed at the South American Games just last week and he is competition ready. He’s not afraid of the Koreans anymore. It’s his time.
– John Stanley
The case for An San winning the recurve women’s trophy. The Olympic Champion is too talented to be held off the podium in Tlaxcala. She won in Medellin to earn her ticket – after turning down the wildcard spot she received from Tokyo – and she’ll earn the win in Mexico, too.
– Sjef van den Berg
The case for Miguel Becerra winning the compound men’s trophy. Winning the World Games gave him the confidence that he can do big things and also shooting at home will be on his side. It took 15 years for Jack Williams to become the first archer to win on a host ticket – in 2021 – and now it’s been done, there’ll be more.
– Linda Ochoa
The case for Sara Lopez winning the compound women’s trophy. The reigning world champion is right when she says that she’s being pushed more than she ever has in her career. But if that world-record match in the arena in Medellin is anything to go by – alongside the fact that her per-arrow average (9.73 points) is the second-best mark of her career – she’s still the trailblazing, record-setting star she’s always been.
Given that she hasn’t won anything major yet this season, it’s time. And this is an event she’s dominated over the last decade.
– Dean Alberga
The 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup Final will take place on 15-16 October in Tlaxcala, Mexico.
