Alexis Ruiz

Alexis Ruiz, born on July 30, 1999, began her archery journey in 2009. What started as a family activity quickly developed into a professional pursuit, leading to significant achievements in the sport. Her commitment to archery saw her training six to seven days a week, focusing on refining her technique and mental fortitude. These efforts culminated in her first world title at the Argentina Junior World Championship in 2017. In 2018, Ruiz achieved a notable milestone by becoming the youngest individual to win the prestigious Vegas Shoot championship, an event she describes as the ‘Super Bowl’ of archery. Consistently placing atop outdoor and indoor podiums throughout 2018, she continued to build her reputation as a formidable competitor. Her consistent performance led to her winning a medal in each of the four stages of the women’s individual compound event in the 2019 Archery World Cup, subsequently earning her the number one ranking in women’s compound archery.

Simultaneously, Ruiz pursued a career in pediatric nursing. She is a graduate of Grand Canyon University’s nursing program and works as a pediatric nurse at Phoenix Children’s. Her inclination to care for others, evident from a young age, guided her decision to enter the nursing profession. The dual demands of an elite athletic career and a rigorous nursing program required careful management. When initially faced with a conflict between accepting an invitation to compete in the Archery World Cup in Russia and attending nursing school, Ruiz opted to defer nursing enrollment for two years, using the time to advance her education with two minors and continue competing in archery.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted international tournaments, provided Ruiz an opportunity to return to nursing school while maintaining her archery practice. She managed to balance both responsibilities, frequently taking red-eye flights to participate in tournaments and training sessions, often shooting for several hours immediately after landing. In 2023, Ruiz rejoined the Team USA World Cup roster, securing a gold medal in the compound mixed team rounds in Berlin at the World Archery Championships and earning three gold medals at the Pan Am Championships in Medellín, Colombia. She has stated that both her nursing and archery careers hold equal importance in her life. Her competitive record further includes silver medals in the women’s team compound event at the 2019 and 2025 World Championships, a gold medal in the team compound event at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, and silver medals in both individual and mixed team compound events at the same games. She also earned gold medals in individual, team, and mixed team events at the 2024 Pan American Championships in Medellín, along with a bronze medal in the team event at the 2022 Pan American Championships in Santiago and a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu.