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Mexico, Britain and Taipei complete squads for Paris 2024 Olympics

15 June 2024

Antalya, Türkiye

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Mexican men celebrate team quota for Paris 2024.

Mexico, Chinese Taipei and Great Britain secured men’s team quota places for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the final qualifier today in Antalya.

It will only be the third time in history that Mexico fields a full six-archer team – three men and three women – at the Olympics after Munich 1972 and London 2012. Taipei upgraded its individual quota to a team slot, while Britain shocked far more favoured teams to take the final ticket, having arrived in Türkiye ranked just 18th in the world.

Mexico looked out of contention two sets into a quarterfinal against India.

But Matias Grande, Carlos Rojas and Bruno Wing fought back from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Indians in a tiebreak, despite Wing throwing down a seven in the shoot-off. Rojas delivered the winning arrow and the Mexican trio only improved, dousing Britain in a decisive semifinal.

“We've been working really hard since the start of the year,” said Grande, the 20-year-old who has quickly become the star player for this surging squad.

“There’s been lots of work from the training team and the technical team. The plan was to podium at the start of the year and we’ve achieved that.”

After his early struggles in the wind, Wing’s performance tightened for the final, where Mexico beat the second qualifiers, Chinese Taipei, after shooting a 57-point average over three sets.

“We’ve been preparing really hard,” he said. “It’s been a difficult season, but ultimately, this is the result we wanted.”

The second-seeded archers from Taipei cruised through their side of the bracket and beat Germany in straight sets in the semifinal that would secure the slot at Paris 2024.

Despite being last-minute qualifiers for the Games, the Taipei squad oozed confidence in their post-match interview.

“We work very hard. We have a very strong team and together we can do anything,” said Lin Zih-Siang. “We can definitely win medals in Paris.”

The bronze medal match was the most important match of the day.

With just three Olympic quotas on offer – it was the last chance to book a slot in Antalya.

Neither team had stamped their mark on the competition, despite making the last four, and it was an early seven from Florian Unruh – who already owned Germany’s individual slot at the Games – that set the tone in the clash.

Conor Hall and Alex Wise carried British teammate Tom Hall throughout the match.

But when Tom finally found the middle in the last set, it was his final nine that sent teammate Wise to the ground in tears, an Olympic quota somehow secured for Great Britain.

“I was hoping to god that it would happen,” said Hall, who shot at Tokyo 2020.

“Last time they thought we couldn’t get full spots, no one expected it but we’ve done it again. That is a message to everyone, do not rule out Great Britain.”

Britain, Chinese Taipei, Mexico, France and Korea are now the only five squads with full teams (six archers) headed to Paris 2024. Two more team quotas per gender will be awarded on the world ranking list issued on 24 June and there are 13 individual quotas available to win in competition over the next two days in Antalya.

Podium: Recurve men team

Mexico (Matias Grande, Bruno Martinez Wing, Carlos Rojas)
Chinese Taipei (Lin Zih-Siang, Tai Yu-Hsuan, Tang Chih-Chun)
Great Britain (Conor Hall, Tom Hall, Alex Wise)

Olympic quotas won at the Final Olympic Qualifier

China: 3 (3 women)
Chinese Taipei: 6 (3 men, 3 women)
Great Britain: 6 (3 men, 3 women)
Malaysia: 3 (3 women)
Mexico: 3 (3 men)

Eight women’s and five men’s spots remain available in the individual events at the final Olympic qualifier and will be awarded on Sunday (women) and Monday (men).