The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Bhutanese archers Sonam Penjor and Lam Dorji returned from the World Archery Asia (WAA) President Challenge Cup and Joint Training Program in Bangladesh without medals, but their performances highlighted the country’s steady progress against some of Asia’s strongest archers.
Facing experienced competitors from across the region, the pair gained crucial international experience while showing that Bhutan is becoming increasingly competitive at the continental level.
Their performances offered optimism for the continued development of the national archery program.
Representing Bhutan at the WAA President’s Challenge Cup and Joint Training Program in Dhaka, Sonam Penjor secured fifth place in the Men’s Recurve event, while Lam Dorji finished ninth among 20 competitors, according to the Bhutan Olympic Committee.
While the final standings did not place Bhutan on the podium, the performances marked another step forward for athletes competing on the international stage, where exposure to higher-level competition is regarded as essential for improving technique, mental resilience and consistency under pressure.
For athletes from a country with limited opportunities to compete abroad, every international tournament represents more than a contest for medals. It provides a chance to measure themselves against stronger opponents, learn from different coaching approaches and return home with experience that cannot be replicated through domestic competition alone.
Lam Dorji said, “The differences between Bhutan and international tournaments are the humidity of the respective country and the competition tempo. From this competition, the mental aspect of believing in myself is the biggest thing, and trusting the process are the key takeaways. From this tournament, I am taking that no one is born a champion, anyone can be if you believe in yourself.”
The Bhutan Olympic Committee described the performances as commendable, focusing the athletes’ efforts during both the competition and the joint training programme held alongside the tournament.
