Tandin Dorji Shoots Bhutan Into Top Five as Compound Archery Moves Into Elimination Stage
NAGOYA, JAPAN | 26 SEPTEMBER 2026
Bhutan has made a strong start to its compound archery campaign at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, with Tandin Dorji producing one of the country’s standout qualification performances so far by finishing fourth in the Men’s Compound qualification after 72 arrows.
Shooting against some of the strongest compound archers in Asia, Tandin finished with 710 points, putting him firmly inside the top five and giving Bhutan a high seed heading into the individual elimination rounds. The result places him just two points behind the joint leaders and within striking distance of the medals as the competition moves into the head-to-head stage.
Tandin’s qualification was built on a strong opening half, where he scored 357 points, followed by another 353 in the second 36 arrows. Across the full 72-arrow round, he recorded 35 Xs and 27 tens, underlining the consistency that carried him into fourth place.
The result is particularly significant for Bhutanese compound archery. While the official result confirms Tandin’s fourth-place finish, making it a top-five qualification result for Bhutan at these Asian Games, any claim that this is the first time Bhutan has ever finished inside the top five in an Asian Games qualification round should be attributed to the relevant Bhutanese archery authorities if they have formally confirmed the historical record.
Behind Tandin, Tshetum Gaytshey finished 35th with 693 points, while Kezang Norbu placed 37th with 687 points. Tshetum shot 349 and 344 across his two 36-arrow rounds, while Kezang recorded 343 and 344. The three archers together form Bhutan’s Men’s Compound team at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
In the Women’s Compound qualification, Dorji Dolma finished 42nd with 670 points after shooting 337 in the first 36 arrows and 333 in the second. She recorded 15 Xs and 18 tens across her 72 arrows.
With qualification now complete, however, the numbers from today become only part of the story. From this point onward, there is no room for a cumulative ranking to carry an archer through. The competition changes into direct head-to-head matches, where one good end can change the momentum and every arrow carries greater weight.
TANDIN DORJI INTO THE INDIVIDUAL ELIMINATION ROUND
Tandin’s fourth-place qualification has earned him the No. 4 seed in the Men’s Compound individual bracket. He receives a direct place in the Round of 16 and will face Lebanon’s Mattar Wadih on 28 September at 8:15 AM Japan Time.
It is a significant position for Tandin. Instead of entering through an earlier elimination match, he goes straight into the Round of 16, where the No. 4 seed will meet Mattar, who qualified 29th.
For Tandin, the task now becomes very different from the qualification round. The 72-arrow ranking has established his position, but the individual matches will decide who advances towards the quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal rounds.
TShetum GAYTSHEY ALSO THROUGH TO THE INDIVIDUAL ROUND
Tshetum Gaytshey, who finished 35th in qualification, will also continue in the Men’s Compound individual competition. He will face Korea’s Kim Jongho, the No. 8 seed, in the Round of 16 on 28 September at 8:15 AM Japan Time.
The qualification ranking means Tshetum enters the elimination bracket as the No. 25 seed, setting up a meeting with one of the higher-ranked archers in the opening individual round.
Kezang Norbu, who finished 37th with 687 points, does not appear in the 32-archer individual elimination bracket, meaning his individual competition concludes with the qualification round. His contribution, however, continues in the Men’s Compound Team event alongside Tandin and Tshetum.
DORJI DOLMA SET FOR INDIVIDUAL ROUND
Dorji Dolma will also continue her Asian Games campaign in the Women’s Compound individual competition after finishing 42nd in qualification. She is seeded 32nd and will face Japan’s Sato Mariko, seeded 33rd, in the opening elimination round on 28 September at 12:30 PM Japan Time.
For Dorji Dolma, the qualification round has now given way to a completely different contest. Her next appearance will be a direct head-to-head match, with advancement depending entirely on the arrows she shoots on the day.
BHUTAN’S MEN’S COMPOUND TEAM TO FACE MALAYSIA
The Men’s Compound team competition will bring Tandin Dorji, Tshetum Gaytshey and Kezang Norbu back together.
Bhutan, seeded 11th, will face Malaysia, seeded sixth, in the Round of 16 on 27 September at 8:15 AM Japan Time. The Bhutan team comprises Tandin Dorji, Tshetum Gaytshey and Kezang Norbu, while Malaysia will field Mazuki Mohd Juwaidi, Mohd Tariki Muhammad Aiman Syafiq and Muhammad Ghazalli Alang Ariff Aqil. The team event provides a fresh opportunity for all three Bhutanese archers. Unlike the individual competition, where each archer carries his own result, the team match will require the three to shoot together and manage the pressure collectively.
DORJI DOLMA AND TANDIN DORJI TO FORM BHUTAN’S MIXED TEAM
Bhutan will also have a place in the Compound Mixed Team competition, with Dorji Dolma and Tandin Dorji joining forces. The Bhutanese pair are seeded 13th and will face the Philippines, seeded 12th, in the opening round on 27 September at 11:00 AM Japan Time. The Philippine pair are Amaya Amparo Cojuangco and Paul Marton De La Cruz.
The mixed team event gives both Tandin and Dorji Dolma another opportunity to compete together after their individual qualification rounds, with the result determined by their combined performance against the Philippines.
THE NEXT THREE DAYS FOR BHUTAN’S COMPOUND ARCHERS
Bhutan now has a busy schedule ahead in compound archery, with all four archers having a role in the elimination phase across the individual and team events.
27 September 2026
🏹 8:15 AM
Men’s Compound Team Round of 16
Bhutan 🇧🇹 vs Malaysia 🇲🇾
Tandin Dorji | Tshetum Gaytshey | Kezang Norbu
🏹 11:00 AM
Compound Mixed Team Round of 16
Bhutan 🇧🇹 vs Philippines 🇵🇭
Dorji Dolma | Tandin Dorji
28 September 2026
🏹 8:15 AM
Men’s Compound Individual Round of 16
Tandin Dorji 🇧🇹 vs Mattar Wadih 🇱🇧
🏹 8:15 AM
Men’s Compound Individual Round of 16
Tshetum Gaytshey 🇧🇹 vs Kim Jongho 🇰🇷
🏹 12:30 PM
Women’s Compound Individual Round of 16
Dorji Dolma 🇧🇹 vs Sato Mariko 🇯🇵
The official IANSEO brackets list these matchups and start times, with the competition continuing through the later elimination rounds before the medal matches.
FOUR ARCHERS, FOUR OPPORTUNITIES
After 72 arrows, the qualification rankings have given Bhutan a strong platform, led by Tandin Dorji’s fourth-place finish. Tshetum Gaytshey has also progressed into the individual elimination rounds, while Kezang Norbu remains part of the Men’s Compound Team and Dorji Dolma will compete in both the individual and mixed team events.
For Tandin, the fourth-place qualification is now behind him. The scorecard will no longer matter once he steps onto the shooting line against Mattar Wadih. For Tshetum, Dorji Dolma and the Bhutan men’s team, the same applies.
The qualification round has set the stage. The elimination rounds will decide who stays in the competition.
Bhutan has finished the first chapter of its compound archery campaign. Now the head-to-head begins.
Qualification Results
Men’s Compound
4th — Tandin Dorji — 710
35th — Tshetum Gaytshey — 693
37th — Kezang Norbu — 687
Women’s Compound
42nd — Dorji Dolma— 670
The Bhutan Olympic Committee lists Tandin Dorji, Dorji Dolma, Kezang Norbu and Tshetrim Gaytshay among Team Bhutan’s compound archers for Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
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