USA trio discover their path as draw made for the Archery World Cup Final

Thirty-two of the best archers are gathered in the Mexican city of Tlaxcala de Xicohténcatl to contest the Hyundai Archery World Cup Final.

James Lutz, Alexis Ruiz and Sawyer Sullivan are among the 32, with all competing in compound. Compound competition takes place on Saturday.

Sullivan qualifies for this year’s Final as the winner of Stage 2. The 20-year-old took gold in Korea at the end of May, defeating Lutz in the final. Ruiz was the bronze medalist in compound women at Stage 1 in China at the end of April.

Following Thursday’s draw, world number three Lutz starts against Nico Wiener (AUT), the gold medalist in China. Sullivan is first match up, tackling world number one and four-time winner of the World Cup Final, Mike Schloesser (NED). Lutz and Sullivan will meet in the semifinals if they both win through their opening matches.

In the women’s competition, Ruiz – a winner of seven gold medals from 12 appearances at a World Cup stage – will face the eight-time champion, Sara Lopez (COL).

That match is the second of the afternoon session.

On her way to bronze in Shanghai, 25-year-old Ruiz defeated two of the seven other compound women archers at the World Cup Final, in Ella Gibson (GBR) and Dafne Quintero (MEX). Ruiz and Sullivan overcame Lopez and Sebastián Arenas to win gold in compound mixed team at the 2023 World Archery Championships in Berlin, Germany.

Sullivan struck gold in Yecheon, with Schloesser one of those he overcame. The 20-year-old from Minnesota edged the man labeled Mr. Perfect in a one arrow shoot-off. At the same event, Lutz needed a shoot-off to get past Mathias Fullerton (DEN), the world number two and second seed for the Archery World Cup Final.

You can keep up with scores and results from Tlaxcala, with broadcast details found below.