Bhutan’s recurve archery team returned from Dhaka, Bangladesh, with a gold medal, a personal best performance, and valuable international experience after competing at the World Archery Asia President’s Challenge Cup and Joint Training Programme.
The five-day event, which began on 29 July, brought together 66 athletes from 19 countries. Organised as both a competition and a training programme, the event served as an important platform for archers to sharpen their skills ahead of major international competitions, including the 20th Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026.
Leading Bhutan’s campaign was experienced recurve archer Kinley Tshering, who delivered an outstanding performance in the Recurve Men’s category. Competing against 19 archers from 11 countries, the 35-year-old from Paro topped the qualification round with an impressive 673 out of a possible 720 points before maintaining his momentum through the knockout stages to claim the gold medal.
Reflecting on his victory, Kinley said the tournament offered an excellent opportunity to compete against some of Asia’s strongest archers, particularly those from host nation Bangladesh.
“Most of the top archers were from Bangladesh, so I gained a lot of experience competing against them. With the Asian Games coming up next month, this competition was also good preparation for me. This was my first time competing in this event, and I am very happy to have won the gold medal. I was able to achieve this because of the support I received from my coach and my team members,” he said.
A regular member of Bhutan’s national team since 2013, Kinley has represented the country at several international tournaments and continues to be one of its most accomplished recurve archers.
Bhutan also produced other encouraging performances during the tournament. Sonam Penjor achieved a new international personal best by scoring 659 points in the qualification round, finishing fourth overall.
The remaining members of the team—Lam Dorji, Tshering Dema, and Kezang Om—benefited from the exposure provided by both the competition and the accompanying joint training programme, gaining valuable experience against international opponents.
According to the Bhutan Archery Federation, the Dhaka training camp was a key part of the national team’s preparations for the 20th Asian Games, scheduled to take place in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October.
With Kinley Tshering’s gold medal, Sonam Penjor’s personal best, and the broader experience gained by the squad, Bhutan’s recurve archers have strengthened their preparations and returned home with growing confidence ahead of the continent’s biggest sporting event.
