An Qixuan

Lore & Background

An Qixuan began her international career with a runner-up finish in her debut World Cup appearance in Shanghai in 2018. In 2019, she placed fourth in the Archery World Cup Final. After that, she was unable to compete internationally for four years as the Chinese team did not travel abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Upon returning to international competition, she won an individual gold medal in the recurve competitions at the third leg of the 2023 Asia Cup in Singapore. In October 2023, she earned a silver medal in the team event at the delayed 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. In November 2023, she was a silver medalist in the team event at the 2023 Asian Archery Championships in Bangkok.

In 2024, she was part of the Chinese women's recurve team that won the World Cup recurve women's team final in Shanghai in April, and then also won the Archery World Cup 2024 event in Yecheon, Republic of Korea in May. Her Chinese women's team earned qualification for the 2024 Summer Games at the final qualifier in Antalya, Türkiye in June 2023, and she was subsequently named to the team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Reader's Guide

An Qixuan's significance lies in her return to elite competition after a four-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the Chinese team did not travel abroad. Her silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics marks a notable achievement in her career, following a series of strong performances in 2023 and 2024. She contributed to the Chinese women's recurve team's victories at World Cup events in Shanghai and Yecheon in 2024, demonstrating her role in the team's success. Her individual gold at the 2023 Asia Cup in Singapore and team silvers at the 2022 Asian Games and 2023 Asian Archery Championships further establish her as a key figure in Chinese archery. The legacy of her career is defined by her perseverance through the pandemic-induced break and her subsequent return to medal contention on the world stage.