Bhutan’s national archery squad is sharpening its bows and nerves as it sets its sights on two major international tournaments this summer. Four recurve specialists have been selected to carry the nation’s hopes first to South Korea and then onward to Singapore, following an intensive training regimen at the Bhutan Archery Federation’s Langjophakha facility in Thimphu.
From May 20th to 25th, the team will take part in the 2025 Gyeyang Open in South Korea, pitting them against Asia’s finest and a handful of top global contenders. Immediately after, they’ll remain in Korea for three more weeks of high-altitude practice before departing for Singapore, where the Asia Cup Stage 2 gets under way on June 15th.
Under the watchful eye of South Korean head coach Park Youngsook, the quartet has been drilling from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., six days a week, since mid-April. “We selected four archers out of six,” Park explains, “and this time, all my archers are in top condition.” She noted that 19-year-old Sonam Penjor, who shone early in Bangkok despite a mid-tournament injury, is now fully recovered and ready to compete.
Penjor, the team’s youngest member, hails from Lhuentse and only finished high school last year. He first picked up a bow in 2018 and has already represented Bhutan at five global meets, including the Asian Archery Championships and the Asian Archery Cup. “For me, Korea is like advanced practice,” he says. “I want to test myself in the individual rounds and come away with new skills and confidence.”
Joining him is 20-year-old Karma Lhendrup of Sarpang, a Class 11 student who also began training in 2018. Karma made his international debut earlier this year at the Asia Cup and views the Gyeyang Open as a chance to train alongside—and learn from—the world’s best. “South Korea has some of the best archers on earth,” he reflects. “Competing there will prepare me perfectly for Stage 2 in Singapore.”
Veteran campaigners Lam Dorji and Kinley Tshering round out the team. Lam, 29, a final-year Royal Thimphu College student, has been on the professional circuit since 2013 and was part of Bhutan’s bronze-medal-winning squad at the 2019 South Asian Games. “With my years of competition behind me, I aim to be a strong contender,” he asserts.
Thirty-four-year-old Kinley, the team’s senior member from Paro, also debuted in 2013 and boasts multiple South Asian Games medals. He describes the current training as the toughest yet: “Eight hours a day, six days a week—our coach’s techniques and drills will be put to the test.”
In both the Gyeyang Open and Asia Cup Stage 2, Bhutan’s archers will navigate qualification and knockout rounds in individual and team events. Beyond the medals and rankings points at stake, these competitions serve as vital preparation for larger gatherings such as World Championships and the Olympic Games.
As the May departure date nears, Bhutan’s archers are focused, fit, and firing on all cylinders—ready to bring their nation’s centuries-old bow-and-arrow tradition to the world stage.
