This Antalya edition was the first of three continental youth camps scheduled for 2025.
The next will take place in San Salvador, El Salvador, from 1 to 8 November, welcoming 40 participants from the Americas with sessions delivered in both English and Spanish. The final event will be held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 14 to 18 November, ahead of the African Archery Championships, serving athletes and coaches in English and French.
All three camps are funded by Olympic Solidarity, a key partner in archery’s global growth. The 2021–2024 Olympic cycle saw a record 77 archery-specific projects funded through the programme, including 30 technical courses for coaches, 28 athlete scholarships, 14 coach scholarships and six national structure development projects.
As part of the programme’s commitment to clean, fair and safe sport, all participants are required to complete the IOC safeguarding and WADA anti-doping courses. For upcoming camps, a prevention of manipulation of competitions component will also be introduced to further strengthen competition integrity.
World Archery aims to increase both the number and quality of these initiatives by 20% during the 2025–2028 period.
“The value of Olympic Solidarity in our sport cannot be overstated,” said World Archery Secretary General Tom Dielen. “From scholarships that help archers prepare for the Olympic Games to grassroots coaching courses like this camp in Antalya, the programme ensures that development is truly global – and accessible to all.”
Several athletes supported by Olympic Solidarity have qualified for Paris 2024, including Indonesia’s Diananda Choirunisa, Guinea’s Fatoumata Sylla and the US Virgin Islands’ Nicholas D’Amour. Their journeys highlight the tangible results of long-term investment in emerging talent.
As the sun set over Antalya’s training field on the final day of the camp, the young athletes gathered for a group photo – tired, inspired and already asking when they could return.
“We enjoyed every second of this,” added Pkhakadze. “The teaching, the facilities, the spirit – it was all high-level. I’m really thankful and grateful for being here.”
