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USA Paralympic archery team for Rio 2016 decided

28 June 2016

Chula Vista, CA (USA)

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Header image courtesy USA Archery/Facebook.

The USA won seven Paralympic quota places at the 2015 World Archery Para Championships in Donaueschingen, Germany – one W1 man and one W1 woman, two compound men open, two recurve men open and one recurve woman open.

Matt Stutzman then added one at the continental qualification tournament with a third-place finish at the 2016 Para Pan American Championships in Costa Rica in May, making it a full compound men’s team for Rio. Natalie Wells also picked up a quota for the USA, by winning the recurve women’s open continental title.

So far, the nation has no quota for the compound women but might get one, pending the outcome of a bipartite decision. Sam Tucker won the national trials for this division and would attend if the application succeeds.

"It was a long and hard trials process. I am so proud of the level of talent each competitor brought to the field. We have a really strong and awesome team together for Rio and we're going to bring home some medals," commented national para head coach Randi Smith.

Leading the most competitive division on the field – compound men open – Kevin Polish won the trials and sealed his spot for Rio.

"I had some people tell me I probably couldn't come back and do it since I've been out of competing for so long and so it is a really big deal, it means a lot to me to make the team," Polish said. He will be joined in the Rio by Andre Shelby and “Armless Archer” Matt Stutzman, with Jonathan Mize staying home as the team alternate.

Shelby was emotional after making his first Paralympic team: “I don't actually have a lot of words for how it feels right now because I've been working on it so hard and for so long. I've really come a long way and my wife has sacrificed a lot for me to do this, I can't describe the feeling. It’s unreal really.”

Shelby climbed from fifth to second place in the process to get his ticket for the Games.

"The second trials really put me way down there, so I came here with the mindset that I'm going to shoot, have fun, and let it fall – and it all came together," he said.

World Champion Eric Bennett locked up his third Olympic team spot when he won the world title last year in Germany. He now also won the trials and locked up the top position.

"It's important to me to win the trials and to always be shooting my best. I want to be on top here and in Rio, I'm looking to bring home the gold this year," he said.

Bennett finished fourth at the London 2012 Paralympics.

Michael Lukow edged out teammate Timothy Palumbo for the final recurve open men's slot with Bennett. Palumobo will stay as team alternate.

“At the moment, it’s very bittersweet. I would much rather be going with Timmy than beating him out for the slot. But, I am really looking forward to representing the U.S. in Rio; it’s been a long hard road to get here, it’s really just bittersweet at the moment,” Michael said.

Reigning Paralympic Champion Jeff Fabry will compete in his fourth consecutive Games. He locked up a place for the W1 division in Rio at the World Archery Para Championships. So did Lisa Coryell in the women’s, and will make her Paralympic debut after only 18 months of training.

Jerry Shields was named as the W1 men's alternate.