Men’s vs Women’s Archery Statistics

Men’s vs Women’s Archery Statistics

Archery is a data-rich precision sport where small score differences matter. This analysis compares the principal metrics used to evaluate men’s and women’s performance in target archery (recurve and compound), explains how competition formats change what the numbers mean, and draws practical conclusions for archers, coaches and bettors who follow major events. Where possible this article uses primary event data and World Archery reporting to show real examples (Olympic ranking rounds, world records and World Archery reports). Links to the source documents are listed at the end.

Quick summary (the headlines)

• Competition formats (distances, number of arrows) are the same for men and women within each discipline: recurve uses 70 m / 72-arrow ranking rounds at major events (e.g. Olympics); compound uses 50 m / 72-arrow qualification rounds. World Archery – format summary.
• World-record qualification scores for 72-arrow rounds are very close between genders. For recurve the women’s world record at 70 m (694) is within single-digit points of the historical men’s marks; compound records at 50 m are now effectively equal at the very top of the sport (women’s Ella Gibson 718; men’s recent top marks 718–719). These records show that top-level accuracy is similar between genders in absolute terms. Paris 2024 Results Book (ranking rounds), World Archery: Kim Woojin (709, 2025, subject to ratification), World Archery: Jimmy Lutz (719, 2026), World Archery: Ella Gibson (718).
• 72-arrow ranking rounds reduce variance and are more predictive of average capability than short match-play formats. However, head‑to‑head matches (set system in recurve, short-arrow matches in compound) introduce much larger variance and upset potential—so ranking superiority does not guarantee match victory. See the methodological section below.
• For bettors and analysts: archery markets are event-dependent and most liquid during the Olympics, World Archery Championships and select World Cup stages. Continuous year-round markets are uncommon. Bookmakers typically publish depth and in-play options only around these major events.