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Paris 2024 Paralympic champion Öznur Cüre Girdi from Türkiye is one of four archers with disabilities that are set to compete alongside their able-bodied counterparts in target archery at The World Games in Chengdu.
Between May and July this year, the 27-year-old world record holder has competed in four able-bodied competitions, including three World Cup stages, with her sights fixed on the big stage in Chengdu. After she won her first-ever medal in an able-bodied competition at the Istanbul 2025 Conquest Cup in May, she posted this on her social media: “It all started with believing in a dream. As a para archer, competing with Olympic athletes and winning a medal in those competitions was just one of my many dreams. Now, I'm proud to say we've achieved it. Another goal has come true: I won a bronze medal at the Conquest Cup. With the unstoppable power of sports, I'm climbing the ladder of my dreams one step at a time.”
Cüre Girdi used to be a taekwondoin before her life took a dramatic turn following a traffic accident in 2014 that left her with a spinal cord injury.
PARALYMPIC STARS The two-time world champion, who also claimed mixed team silver at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, is being joined by 36-year-old Chinese, Lin Yueshan, a gold medallist in mixed team compound in Tokyo and silver medallist in individual compound at Rio 2016, in the women’s category.
The men’s event will feature the world’s top two para archers Ai Xinliang from China and Rakesh Kumar from India. Ai is a three-time Paralympic medallist (Rio 2016 gold, Paris 2024 silver and Tokyo 2020 bronze), while Kumar is a Paris 2024 bronze medallist.
“This time, competing in the same arena as able-bodied athletes will allow me to experience different emotions. There will certainly be difficulties, but I am mentally prepared and have trained thoroughly before the event,” said Ai.
HOW THEY QUALIFIED While the host nation received spots by right, Öznur Cüre Girdi gained her spot by winning the individual compound title at the Paralympics in Paris. Since the USA's Matt Stutzman, who won the men’s title in Paris has now retired, his spot was passed to the fourth placed athlete in Paris, Rakesh Kumar of India – as the second and third placed athletes, from China, had already received spots as hosts.
These para archers also boast other achievements in world and continental para championships but will be eyeing their first major medal in an able-bodied event. The last World Games in Birmingham, Alabama featured Tokyo 2020 Paralympic silver medallist Mariana Zuniga from Chile and two para archers representing the hosts USA, Benjamin Thompson and Wendy Gardner, but they all couldn’t go beyond the first round.
HISTORY-MAKERS It is not uncommon for para archers to compete with able-bodied athletes in target archery events. According to World Archery, para archers often use assistive devices, such as custom draw or release aids, mouth tabs or wheelchairs, to level the playing field.
In 2005, Kevin Polish became the first para athlete to win a medal at the World Archery Championships as the USA won gold in the compound men’s division in Madrid, Spain. Twelve years later in Mexico City, Alberto Simonelli became the second, after claiming silver with Team Italy. Danielle Brown was the first disabled athlete to represent England – and win gold – in an able-bodied discipline at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Two years later, she won a silver medal in the women’s compound of another major able-bodied competition, the Archery World Cup final.
THE WORLD GAMES Target Archery at The World Games comprises three events; compound men, compound women and compound mixed team. In the final line-up for archery competition released by World Archery, there are 52 compound places.
Competitors use compound bows – technically advanced bows with a levering system of pulleys and cables – to shoot over a distance of 50 metres at the traditional five-colour target face with 10 concentric scoring rings. The innermost yellow rings score 10 and nine points, red rings score eight and seven, blue rings score six and five, black rings four and three, while the outermost white rings score two and one points. Missing the target scores zero points. All athletes shoot 72 arrows in the ranking round and 15 arrows in the elimination round; there is a single-arrow shoot-out in the event of a tie.
OLYMPIC DEBUT IN LA The compound mixed team event in Chengdu will carry extra significance as the discipline will be making its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, joining the existing five recurve events – men’s and women’s individual, men’s and women’s team, and mixed team – on the programme.
Qinglong Lake Park will host the archery competitions of Chengdu 2025, with the compound events taking place from 7-9 August. Field archery events (recurve and barebow) will take place from 11-16 August.
PARA SPORTS AT CHENGDU 2025 A para-sport was part of The World Games programme for the first time at Birmingham 2022 when wheelchair Rugby was part of the Games at the invitation of the Local Organising Committee. In Chengdu, para freediving and para ju-jitsu will make their debut.
Chibuogwu Nnadiegbulam - AIPS Media Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images
