The Azerbaijani archer Mammadali Aliyev has scored 659 points at European Outdoor Championship held in Antalya, Turkiye, AzerNEWS reports.

The archer finished 29th among 88 male competitors, delivering a solid performance in a highly competitive field.

This result earned Mammadali Aliyev a quota place for the 4th European Games, which will take place in Istanbul in 2027.

This achievement marks a historic milestone for Azerbaijani archery, as it is the first time a male archer from Azerbaijan has secured a European Games quota in this discipline. No male Azerbaijani archer had previously reached such a qualification standard.

This performance is also regarded as an important step in Mammadali Aliyev's journey toward qualification for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States.

The 4th European Games will be held in Istanbul, Turkiye, from 16 to 27 June 2027. The multi-sport event will bring together Europe’s leading athletes across 26 sports, including 22 Olympic disciplines that are part of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic programme. The European Games are designed not only as a continental championship but also as a key qualification stage for the Olympic Games, offering athletes the opportunity to secure quota places in selected sports such as archery, shooting, and others.

For archery, the Istanbul 2027 European Games will play an important role in the Olympic qualification process. Athletes will compete for quota places under rules set by World Archery Europe and the European Olympic Committees, making the event one of the final major stepping stones toward the Olympic Games.

The 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, United States, will take place from 14 to 30 July 2028. Archery will once again be included as a core Olympic sport, featuring men's and women's individual and team recurve events, as well as a mixed team event. The Games will also introduce the compound mixed team event, marking a significant development in Olympic archery.

The qualification pathway for Los Angeles 2028 begins several years in advance, with athletes earning quota places through world championships, continental championships, ranking tournaments, and key multi-sport events such as the European Games in Istanbul.

This system ensures that only the highest-performing archers secure the limited number of Olympic spots available.