CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Rising archer Lester Ian Datiles of the Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Archery Club has qualified to represent the Philippines in the Under-21 division at the upcoming 2026 Asian Youth Archery Championships in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

The continental tournament, scheduled for Dec. 14 to 22, will feature top youth archers from across Asia.

Battling rain and mud in Bacolod

Datiles secured his national team spot during the World Archery Philippines and Philippine Sports Commission Leg 4 tournament held Oct. 23 at the CHMSU–Alijis Campus and Bacolod City National High School Football Pitch in Bacolod City.

Competitors faced harsh weather, navigating torrential rain and muddy field conditions throughout the qualifying rounds.

"When competing in harsh weather conditions, athletes tend to go back to the habits that they make during training," Datiles said. "When I train, I make sure to do as many repetitions as I can while maintaining good form, so I can be confident in myself that I will not collapse under pressure."

Global experience

This is not Datiles’ first time on the international stage. He previously represented the country at the 2025 World Youth Archery Championships in Winnipeg, Canada—an experience he says shaped his mindset for the UAE event.

"One lesson that I learned when I competed in Winnipeg is that you can never be 'too prepared' for a competition," Datiles shared. "Anything is possible, so it is better to be prepared than to hope for the best."

Carrying local pride

For the Cagayan de Oro native, wearing the national colors carries deeply personal significance as he prepares to face Asia's elite in December.

"Representing CDO and MisOr on the national team gives me immense pride, since it has been my childhood dream to represent my country in a sport," he said. "For the upcoming Asian Youth Championships this December, I will aim for the top spot."

National qualifiers

Other archers earning spots for Team Philippines during the Bacolod leg included Leila Jell C. Cano of Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation in the Recurve Under-18 Women category.

In the junior divisions, Metro Candon Archery Club’s Coleen Eliana Singson and Xerxes Jeiros J. Castillo won gold in the Recurve U13 Mixed Team event.