Casey Kaufhold to make Archery Premier League debut as Hyderabad hosts star-studded season 2

Olympic bronze medallist Casey Kaufhold will headline a star-studded international field at the second edition of the Archery Premier League in Hyderabad from October 8. The tournament will feature 48 athletes, including Olympic and world champions from across the globe.

Hyderabad: Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Casey Kaufhold of the USA will make her debut as part of a star-studded line-up of 12 overseas archers from 10 countries competing in the second edition of the Archery Premier League (APL), scheduled to be held in Hyderabad from October 8.

The second edition of the league will feature Olympians and world champions. The league, an initiative of the Archery Association of India, is being held with the support of the Government of Telangana and will bring together 48 athletes divided across six region-based franchises.

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APL Director Anil Kamineni said, “Bringing 12 leading international archers, including three Olympic medallists, to APL Season 2 reflects our ambition to make India an important destination on the global archery calendar. Casey Kaufhold’s debut, alongside the return of champions such as Mete Gazoz, gold medallist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and Alejandra Valencia, a two-time bronze medallist at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, will uplift the level of competition and give Indian archers invaluable exposure to the world’s best.”

Reigning World Games individual champions Mike Schloesser, currently ranked World No. 2, and Andrea Becerra, currently World No. 1, will return after competing in the inaugural season. Season 1 standout and 2025 World Championship silver medallist Mathias Fullerton, currently ranked World No. 1, will also return, alongside Mexico’s 22-year-old Matias Grande, currently World No. 3, and Spain’s Elia Canales for the 11-day tournament.

Casey Kaufhold, who won an Olympic medal at the age of 20, will join an elite roster that includes Olympic medallists Mete Gazoz of Turkey and Alejandra Valencia of Mexico, both of whom competed in the league’s inaugural season.

Casey said, “I am looking forward to competing in the Archery Premier League. The 15-second shot clock will be a new challenge, but I enjoy formats that demand focus, composure and trust in every shot. I am also excited to compete alongside some of the world’s best archers and connect with the passionate archery fans in India.”

World No. 3 compound archer Alejandra Usquiano of Colombia and Brazil’s Marcus D’Almeida, currently World No. 1 and a bronze medallist at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games, are among the other international archers set to make their APL debuts in Hyderabad.

Great Britain’s Ella Gibson, currently World No. 2, who was part of the winning Rajputana Royals franchise in the first season, will return alongside World No. 5 compound archer Nico Wiener for the second season.