Champion! Shelley Hilton Wins Gold at the European Youth Archery Cup

17-year-old Shelley Hilton, from the Maccabi Rishon LeZion Archery Club, claimed the gold medal today at the European Youth Archery Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria. After placing 11th in the qualification round with 630 points, Hilton delivered a remarkable performance in the elimination stages — securing a historic victory for Israel in the Recurve Cadet category, breaking the previous national record held by Shahar Kleiner (bronze medalist).

The competition was held under challenging weather conditions, with strong winds and cold temperatures. Hilton, in her final year as a cadet, rose to the occasion and defeated the 6th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd seeds on her way to the title. Her elimination matches showcased full control:

Two flawless 6:0 victories in the opening rounds

A 6:2 win in the quarterfinals

A 6:4 win in the semifinals

A dominant 6:2 win in the final against Frieda Jahnke from Germany, completing an impressive golden run

"Even before we flew out, I had one goal in mind — to hear Hatikvah on the podium," said Hilton after her win. "My family is from Bulgaria, so this was deeply personal, but more than anything, it was about national pride, especially with everything going on back home. Before the final, I told Guy — this is the day. I felt relaxed, I smiled a lot… and it worked!"

Hilton began archery at age 9 and joined the national team at 13. This gold adds to her previous international success — a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the 2022 Youth European Cup with Roy Dror.

"We return from the competition with a gold medal, two final appearances, and valuable insights for our athletes as they continue the international season," said Amit Sheiner-Dandeker, President of the Israel Archery Association. "Shelley was outstanding throughout. She’s a fantastic archer, and we truly believe in her ability to reach even greater achievements in the future. We are proud and grateful to raise the Israeli flag and play Hatikvah in these difficult times. Our archers competed with yellow ribbons on their bows, and our staff wore yellow bracelets — we continue to hope for the safe return of all the hostages."

Also competing in the event:

Raz Harush, Shira Ifergan, and Noga Polimer (U21 Recurve Women’s Team) reached the bronze medal match.

Yiftach Hedar and Kfir Frank reached the quarterfinals in Compound.

Israel’s men’s, women’s, and mixed recurve teams also advanced to the later stages but were eliminated before the medal rounds.

It’s worth noting that the athletes traveled to the competition entirely self-funded, due to a severe lack of government support — despite the national team's outstanding performances over the past two years. The Israel Archery Association is currently running a crowdfunding campaign to help provide its athletes with optimal training conditions and access to international competitions — ensuring Israel remains on the global archery map.

The delegation was accompanied by President Amit Sheiner-Dandeker, Secretary General Guy Matzkin, Team Manager Lia Frankel and National Team Strength Coach Yoel Goldberg.

Shelley in the Gold final - Courtesy of World Archery Europe