Mexico City to Host World Archery Events in 2015 & 2017

World Archery has announced today that Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, will host the 2015 World Cup Final and 2017 World Championships.

World Archery hopes that by awarding two elite events to a city that already displays an appetite for the sport, strong development and community engagement programmes can be built to complement the continued growth of archery in Latin America.

Mexico City 2015 will be the second time the nation hosts the Archery World Cup Final. The first ever such event was held in the Mayapan Pyramids in 2006, the same year in which Merida ran the World Archery Youth Championships nearby.

Mexico also has a decorated history of hosting major multisport events, including Pan American, Caribbean and Central American Games – and the Mexico City Olympics in 1968.

A strong bid backed by Mayor Dr Miguel Angel Mancera and Director of Sport Mr Horacio De La Vega – who had a great career as an athlete – national government and broadcasters persuaded the World Archery Executive Board to award both events to the same organiser.

Director of Sport in Mexico City Mr Horacio De La Vega said: “Archery is central to Mexico’s sport programme following the success the nation’s athletes have already achieved. It is a sport on the rise in popularity and participation and there is a significant audience for its international events and athletes within the country. It’s now time for Mexico City to showcase the best of itself, internationally, thanks to great athletes.”

World Archery Secretary General Mr Tom Dielen said: “Athletes were at the centre of the decision to award these events to Mexico City. Mexico’s archers have been asking for an international tournament in their country for some time, and they are one of the most internationally competitive teams right now.

“With the Mexican Challenge concept, this organising committee proved that it shares our values of putting athletes at the heart of international archery competition. We are confident it will build on that success with two of World Archery’s flagship tournaments.”