Amaya Cojuangco shoots way to PH's breakthrough archery silver in Asian Games
National team veteran Amaya Amparo Cojuangco ends the Philippines' 12-year drought for an archery medal in the Asian Games
Source: Rappler · October 1, 2026 at 9:02 AM · AI-assisted report
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OKAZAKI CENTRAL PARK, JAPAN, 1 OCTOBER 2026 —
Manila – Veteran archer Amaya Amparo Cojuangco secured the Philippines’ first Asian Games archery medal in 12 years on Thursday, October 1, by winning silver in the women’s individual compound event at the 2026 Games in Japan.
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Cojuangco, 40, fell short of gold after a 139‑137 defeat to Indonesia’s Nurisa Dian Ashrifah in the final held at Okazaki Central Park. The two competitors were tied at 110‑110 after four rounds, but Ashrifah posted back‑to‑back 10s on her last two arrows to finish with a 29, while Cojuangco recorded three 9s for a total of 27, handing the Indonesian a near‑perfect finish.
The silver medal represents the highest placement ever achieved by a Filipino archer at the Asian Games. The only other archery medal for the Philippines in the event’s history was a bronze won by Paul dela Cruz in the men’s individual compound in 2014.
“I wanted the gold. I super wanted the gold. I’m sad that I lost. But also grateful that I have the silver medal. I felt good, the shots were good, but they just did not land,” Cojuangco told POC Media in a mix of Filipino and English. “I can only do my best.”
Cojuangco’s path to the final included a 142‑141 victory over South Korea’s Park Jung‑yoon in the semifinals, marking the first time a Filipino archer has reached an Asian Games final. She overcame Park after both shooters posted 27 in the fifth end, with Cojuangco edging ahead by a single point. Earlier rounds saw her defeat Iran’s Bita Asheghzadeh Oskouei, China’s Wei Fangyao and Vietnam’s Le Pham Ngoc Anh.
The achievement ends a 12‑year medal drought for the Philippines in Asian Games archery and underscores the nation’s growing competitiveness in a sport traditionally dominated by South Korea. Cojuangco’s performance may boost support for archery programmes and inspire greater investment in athlete development ahead of future regional competitions.
The next step for Cojuangco will be to build on her silver medal performance as she prepares for upcoming international events, with the Philippine Olympic Committee expected to review her results and consider further support for the archery team.
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