Archery GB is delighted to announce that for the first time ever, compound archery will feature in the Olympic Games.
At the end of 2023, the original bid to get compound included in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games as an additional discipline of an existing sport in the was rejected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Following this rejection, an appeal was submitted to the IOC for consideration, and on 9 April 2025, it was accepted.
Now twelve of the world's best compound mixed teams will have the chance to earn quota places to compete for a medal at the LA 2028 Games.
Great Britain has made incredible waves in the international compound scene, winning numerous medals all over the world. Our athletes hold individual, mixed team, and team medals from high-profile events across the European and world stages. They continue to prove our county’s competitiveness in this category, and they are keen to make their mark on the journey to the Games.
One significant front-runner in the race to LA is GB’s Ella Gibson, the current world number one - a position she’s held for almost 1000 days – and no stranger to a finals’ field, having won countless medals at World Cups, World Games, European Championships, and more.
Ella said: “When I started compound, I knew the discipline wasn’t in the Olympics, so it was never in my mind as a goal or even a potential future. Last time they tried to put this bid through, I really got my hopes up, and I was looking forward to getting to shoot with my teammates every day. When we found out it hadn't gone through, I was really upset and really down about it, because it felt like it was it was something that I'd never been able to strive for, and I finally could, and then it got taken away.
"I think it's so important for the sport. I'm looking forward to the next three years and trying my best to make it to the Olympics with my teammates and bring back a medal. It would be such an accumulation of so many days, so many hours, so many tears, sore muscles, breakdowns, stress, and love.
"We have a chance. We've got a lot of work to do. It's not a big field, and there's not a lot of spaces available, so it's not going to be easy, but most, if not all of us, are ready to give it everything we have.
“I think compound is going to grow exponentially. Hopefully a lot of people are going to start it when they may have started recurve, and maybe a lot of recurves might change to compound. Our equipment will become even better and even more accurate and it will be a great opportunity, and hopefully we'll also start to get some non-endemic sponsors, which I think could really help archery’s future."
We also spoke to GB compound team manager, Jon Nott, on what this news means for the national squad, and for the compound community as a whole: “This is a huge step for archery, and it's a massive step for compound archery. It really will change everything for the compound community, especially since a lot of athletes from many countries self-fund.
“The challenge to get one of these places for LA will be huge, but if you get there, you've got a big chance of winning a medal, and this will give Great Britain a real chance at a medal in LA 2028. We have a strong squad of compound archers, and we have always punched way above our weight.”
