5th WMC Archery - Summary News

WARENDORF (GER) – The 5th CISM World Military Archery Championship concluded successfully in Warendorf, Germany, after a week of outstanding competition that brought together 115 military archers from 17 nations in a celebration of sporting excellence, international cooperation and the CISM motto, "Friendship through Sport."

Hosted by the German Armed Forces from 17 to 24 June 2026, the championship officially opened with a vibrant ceremony in Warendorf's historic Market Square, where athletes, officials, military representatives and local authorities gathered to celebrate the beginning of the event. The ceremony highlighted the unifying power of military sport before the competition moved to the Georg-Leber Barracks, where athletes contested recurve, compound, mixed team, team and para-archery events.

Throughout the week, Warendorf welcomed an exceptional field of competitors that included Olympic medallists, Olympians, World Cup athletes and some of the finest military archers currently competing on the international stage. Spectators witnessed numerous closely contested matches, remarkable precision and world-class performances, with many medal contests decided by the final arrows.

Among the standout individual performances, France's Baptiste Addis claimed the men's recurve title after defeating Germany's Jonathan Vetter in the gold medal match, while Austria's Elisabeth Straka captured the women's recurve crown. Italy secured the men's recurve team title, France won the women's team event, and India emerged victorious in the recurve mixed team competition.

The compound competitions also delivered memorable moments. Slovenia's Tim Jevšnik was crowned men's compound champion, while France dominated the women's compound event, achieving a remarkable clean sweep of the podium through Kyla Touraine, Alyssia Chambraud and Melie Duvivier. France also captured the compound mixed team title, while Türkiye won the men's compound team event and Italy claimed victory in the Double Compound Team competition.

The championship further demonstrated the continued growth of para-archery within CISM. Military para-athletes showcased outstanding resilience, determination and sporting excellence, underlining the organization's commitment to providing competitive opportunities for all service members. Gold medals were won by Munkhbaatar Namjilmaa (Mongolia) in the Open Para Recurve men's category, Inna Korolenko (Ukraine) in the women's category, and Rajbir Singh (India) in the Open Para Compound men's competition.

The finals were attended by CISM Secretary General Navy Captain Roberto Recchia, while the championship was conducted under the authority of Official CISM Representative Major General Rashid Mahboob Al-Dosari, who praised the exceptional level of competition and the spirit demonstrated by all participating nations.

The championship concluded on 23 June with a Closing Ceremony celebrating both sporting achievement and military friendship. Following a vote by the participating delegations, Germany received the prestigious "Friendship through Sport" Award in recognition of its exemplary sportsmanship, fair play and contribution to the positive atmosphere that characterized the championship.

During the ceremony, Major General Al-Dosari also presented the CISM Order of Merit on behalf of the CISM President and Board of Directors to Lieutenant Colonel Christian Luetzkendorf, Chief of Delegation of Germany, for his longstanding commitment to military sport and his contribution to the successful organization of the championship. A second CISM Order of Merit was awarded to Hauptmann (OF-2) Harald Kruse (Ret.) in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to military archery and the CISM movement.

As the CISM flag was lowered, the championship came to a close after six days of world-class competition, outstanding organization and unforgettable moments of international friendship. Beyond the medals, Warendorf 2026 once again demonstrated the unique role of military sport in strengthening mutual respect, solidarity and cooperation among Armed Forces from around the world.

With another successful edition of the championship completed, the international military archery community now looks ahead to the 8th CISM Military World Summer Games – Charlotte 2027, where many of the world's best military archers will once again compete on the international stage.