PILSEN, Czech Republic – No medals were won by Team USA at the World Archery Para Championships on Thursday but there was certainly reason to celebrate as three quota places were claimed for next year’s Paralympic Games in Paris.
The spots were won in recurve men open by Kevin Mather, and by Kevin Polish and Matt Stutzman in compound men open.
Those archers themselves have not qualified for the Paralympics, rather they have claimed quota places for the USA. Athletes must then go through a multi-stage U.S. Team Paralympic Trials in order to be selected for those quota slots.
The recurve men open spot was claimed as Mather made his way to the gold medal match, to be played out on Sunday. Polish and Stutzman secured the maximum two slots in the compound men open in finishing fifth and ninth respectively.
The World Archery Para Championships offers the best chance to win the quota slots, which is also the only opportunity for a nation to win their quota spots as a mixed team. Quota slots will also be allocated at the 2023 Para Pan American Games in November in Chile, followed by a final qualification tournament in 2024.
Additional quota slots may be awarded via bipartite commission invitations. In total, there will be 140 quota spots up for grabs, with spaces for 75 men and 65 women in a step towards greater gender parity at the Games. (Read the 2024 Paralympic Games Qualification System).
Each country can qualify a maximum of two quota slots in each of the following categories: Recurve Men Open, Recurve Women Open, Compound Men Open, Compound Women Open, W1 Men Open and W1 Women Open.
USA Archery is the National Governing Body for the sport of archery, responsible for selecting and training men’s and women’s teams to represent the U.S. in the Olympic, Paralympic, and Pan American Games. We are committed to providing equal sports and recreation opportunities to every person. Archery is a sport that is open to everyone; it is inclusive of all ages, genders, and abilities.
