Pablo Gomez Zuluaga (Photo World Archery)
Pablo Gomez Zuluaga put in a career-best performance to upset Mike Schloesser and win the compound men’s individual gold at Madrid 2026 – stage four of the World Cup archery championships.
As far as maiden individual World Cup golds go, they don’t come much greater than this.
If the odds on a Schloesser win today under the baking Spanish sun weren’t high enough, then they were heightened by how the four-time circuit champion lived up to his nickname, ‘Mister Perfect’, and shot a 150 in the semifinals against the Winnipeg 2025 World Youth under-18 champion, Simon Moritz in the semifinals.
Gomez Zuluaga, on the other hand, had only one of his five ends entirely in the 10 and X rings when he beat a target-panicked Chen Chieh-Lun in the other match.
Starting off, this looked a formality as Schloesser shot 30 in the first end, whilst the Colombian’s first arrow went above the 10-ring and into the nine, meaning it would be a game of cat and mouse, the cat having it most difficult given the mouse’s world-renowned quality.
The Colombian cat did pounce on its prey though, and more so in the last two ends when, at 89-88 up, Schloesser uncharacteristically strayed wide with two nines, one in the low left-centre and the other just right of the 10 – barely missing the line. Gomez Zuluaga took advantage with two 30s to end the afternoon session 148-147.
“He’s an incredibly strong archer, so it’s rare for him to drop points like that,” Gomez Zuluaga told World Archery, having never faced Schloesser in an individual match before today. “You have to capitalize when it happens. During the match, I was trailing by a point for most of it.”
“In the end, he shot that nine, which gave me the slight advantage I needed to close it out – and we did. I think I achieved one of the goals I’ve had throughout my entire career so, I’ll just keep working, keep aiming for bigger things, and I think we’re on the right track.”
It’s an understatement to say fine margins defined this contest.
Outer-ring shots are obviously not what archers aim for but, even though Schloesser has won so much in his stellar career – and, having won Antalya 2026 [stage three], will be determined to win the Saltillo World Cup Final – it was almost cruel the way in which he was just one millimetre, if that, from forcing a shoot-off.
2024 Pan American Championship bronze medallist Gomez Zuluaga won’t care one bit how he booked his ticket to Mexico however, only the pride he clearly felt when the result was confirmed.
He and Colombia’s long-time coach, Heber Mantilla, screamed and hugged one another as their watching compatriots cheered joyfully at the Complutense National Stadium.
Two of those being former World Cup compound women champions Sara Lopez – who is aiming for World Cup trophy number 10 in September – and Paris 2013 victor Alejandra Usquiano, both of whom also got the compound women team top podium earlier n the day.
Those two, plus Luzmary Guedez [2009] have brought back 11 World Cups to Colombia in compound women. Now the opportunity is there for Gomez Zuluaga to immortalise himself in the country’s archery folklore and become the first Colombian compound man to win it, bettering Daniel Munoz’s bronze from Moscow 2019.
“It’s not just about the excitement; I think this is one of the biggest competitions – and involves the toughest archers you can face,” said 24-year-old Gomez Zuluaga. “It’s going to be a very, very tough challenge, which I think is the main thing. I’m excited.”
The next archer he could face is a rematch against Schloesser when the World Cup Final draw takes place in Saltillo in two months’ time, with all compound action on the regular circuit now complete for 2026.
Denmark ends 2026 campaign with gold in compound men team
The week’s surprise package Mexico could not continue their run as they were dominated by Denmark to win gold in the compound men’s team event.
Rasmus Bramsen, Mathias Fullerton and Martin Damsbo shot 58 in the first of four ends at Complutense National Stadium, while Miguel Becerra, Elias Reyes Cravioto and Rodrigo Olvera dropped four nines, a 10 and an X to end the opening set with 56.
Mexico’s ‘B’ team – the primary squad are preparing for the Central American and Caribbean Games – had never shot an international competition together as a trio, whilst the Danish team have won four major international medals together, including the Antalya 2025 World Cup gold last year.
The vast difference in experience meant it was always going to be an uphill battle from the start for the Mexicans, and it proved too much as they failed to wrestle back the lead.
“We have been in all the [big] matches this year,” said Bramsen, who was also on the team that just missed out on bronze at the European Outdoor Championships in June. “We shot extremely well. I mean, personally, I’ve been working a lot on my execution and decision-making. I felt like I was going down a dark path after the last World Cup, and this week I was only focusing on shooting good shots.”
“They could hit where they hit – I was actually just focused on shooting the shots. I’ve been working a lot on myself. I feel like I did a major comeback personally this week.”
“I haven’t shot as well as I wanted in the individual, but in teams I’ve been extremely good. In all the events I’ve been shooting for Denmark, I’ve been in the team matches, so I would say next year is going to be very good.”
“I feel like I have learned a lot.”
Damsbo’s longevity, as well as his success – the 2013 circuit champion – and Fullerton’s unbelievably rapid rise to the top of the compound men’s world rankings are obviously the two names that stand out when you see the Danish entries list for competitions like this.
But as much of a cliché as it is, there is no ‘I’ in team, and reaching his compatriots’ level is Bramsen’s next focus as his outdoor season draws to a close.
Not just so he can grab his first international individual medal – which the European Indoor team silver medallist is still searching for – but to help Denmark land even more medals on the world circuit.
Bramsen isn’t shying away from his struggles at 50 metres this season, however, as he went out in the first round at the European Championships, Antalya 2026 [stage 3] and here in Madrid this week, and knows he cannot always rely on Damsbo and Fullerton in case a rare off day occurs.
“It was the wind and nerves,” explained the 22-year-old archer, who shot only three 10s in the final today and one eight. “The eight, it just broke right. So definitely also some wind, but I was shaking a lot and hit it right, but I shot an X afterwards.”
“It’s so nice to shoot with them. I mean, Mathias is my best friend. I’ve been with him my whole life. So I’m trying to chase him, be the third man in our team.”
“We have the legend Martin, so I’m always chasing them and just trying to be like them.”
Competition in Madrid continues with the compound individual finals in the afternoon.
Podiums: Madrid 2026
Compound men’s team
- Denmark (Rasmus Bramsen, Mathias Fullerton, Martin Damsbo)
- Mexico (Miguel Becerra, Elias Reyes Cravioto, Rodrigo Olvera)
- Germany (Simon Moritz, Noah Nuber, Paolo Kunsch)
Compound women’s team
- Colombia (Sara Lopez, Mariana Rodriguez, Alejandra Usquiano)
- India (Chikitha Taniparthi, Prithika Pradeep, Jyothi Surekha Vennam)
- Korea (Kang Yeonseo, Park Yerin, Park Jungyoon)
Compound mixed team
Denmark (Mathias Fullerton, Tanja Gellenthien)
Great Britain (Ajay Scott, Ella Gibson)
Mexico (Miguel Becerra, Ximena Estrada)
Compound men
- Pablo Gomez Zuluaga, Colombia
- Mike Schloesser, Netherlands
- Simon Moritz, Germany
Compound women
- Ella Gibson, Great Britain
- Fatin Nurfatehah Mat Salleh, Malaysia
- Prithika Pradeep, India
