Italy’s Simone Barbieri and Cinzia Noziglia secured the top seeds in the men’s and women’s barebow fields after qualification concluded today at the Chengdu 2025 World Games.
As in the recurve competition, archers shot 12 marked targets followed by 12 unmarked targets, in the same hot and humid conditions that have persisted throughout the week.
Barbieri, silver medallist at the 2024 World Archery 3D Championships in Mokrice, dominated the men’s field with 371 points – finishing 28 clear of second-placed Erik Jonsson of Sweden, a three-time World Games champion (2001, 2005, 2022).
“There are no secrets, really,” said the 32-year-old. “It’s about staying relaxed. The course is fairly simple – the most difficult thing is dealing with the heat. I just tried to shoot each target in the same way.”
In the women’s competition, Noziglia took a big step toward a third consecutive World Games title, finishing 29 points ahead of France’s Alicia Baumert. Baumert and third-placed Fawn Girard of the USA, who both scored 310, had a shoot-off on the 50-metre target to decide second.
Noziglia – the dominant barebow archer of her era and a winner of every major field title – was fifth at last year’s World Archery Field Championships in Lac La Biche.
“I’m pretty happy,” she said. “My score wasn’t the highest, but it was enough.”
“Obviously, winning three times is important to me. But I just want to do my best. My objective is not just the gold medal. Still, it’s hard because my expectations for myself are very high!”
