M’sian teen hits gold at world horseback archery championship

Sixteen-year-old Abdurrahman Ahmad Muaz has won a gold medal in horseback archery at the International Horseback Archery Masters 2026. The event took place from October 1-4 in Erenhot, Inner Mongolia, China.

Abdurrahman, coached by his mother and fellow archer Nurul Fathim Ridayu Ramli, has been involved in the sport for about four years. He credits his mother for introducing him to horseback archery, as she had always wanted to try horseback riding and combined it with archery for the family.

Abdurrahman regularly trains at the ARBA Equestrian Archery Academy, which his mother founded. His daily training includes at least an hour of archery practice and another hour of horseback riding. Despite facing challenges like freezing temperatures and strong winds in China, Abdurrahman emerged victorious in the Open Tower 90 category. He attributes his success to constant training and a strong bond with his horse, Luhaif.

Although horseback archery is still a niche sport in Malaysia, Abdurrahman hopes it will gain more popularity and dreams of owning a riding club with 20 horses, while aiming for Olympic representation.