If you felt an absence of excitement during the lull between the Olympic and Paralympic Games, you needn’t have worried. The Paralympic Games provided us with plenty of exciting moments, including more historic events.
Team USA had a very good showing at the Paris Paralympic Games with two gold medals. Jason Tabansky took home gold in the men’s individual W1 division, and Matt Stutzman took home gold in the men’s compound division.
Tabansky was a relatively late addition to Team USA’s para archery team. He didn’t qualify during the U.S. Paralympic Team Trials in May but was added to the roster in late June after Christopher Davis of Australia became injured and had to withdraw. Tabansky’s performance at the Trials earned him the first alternate spot, so he was called up. Needless to say, he made the most out of his opportunity, taking home gold after defeating Han Guifei of China.
Stutzman was the first para archer to compete by using his feet at the London Games in 2012. Fast forward to 2024—Stutzman’s fourth Games—and he’s a champion. He competed against Mexico’s Victor Sardina Viveros, making history as the first-ever matchup between two “armless archers” on the Paralympic stage. He also took home gold after defeating Ai Xinliang of China.
Jordan White was the youngest athlete, Olympic or Paralympic, to represent Team USA. He had a hard-fought battle against Poland’s Lukasz Ciszek in the first round, tying two of the four sets before ultimately losing the round. He finished 17th in the men’s recurve division.
Eric Bennett took the stage at his fifth Paralympic Games, making history as the first American para archer to compete in five Paralympic Games. He also finished in 17th in the men’s recurve division.
KJ Polish held his own against He Zihao of China in the quarterfinals, winning two sets and tying another. He ended up losing the match by one point, taking home fifth place in the men’s compound division.
Tracy Otto also made it to the quarterfinals, securing eighth place in the women’s individual W1 division after defeating Liu Jing in the semifinals.
In addition to finishing in the top 8 individually and taking the stage with Tabansky in the mixed team W1 division, Otto—a first-time Paralympic archer—marked two monumental moments in her life at the Games. Her boyfriend, Rick, proposed to her under the romantic lights of the Eiffel Tower, and a few hours later, she announced that she’s pregnant! That’s a lot of exciting announcements for one summer.
When Jodie Grinham of Great Britain won the bronze medal, she earned the title of the first pregnant Paralympic athlete to win a medal of any kind. She secured the medal while seven months pregnant with her second child. Grinham practiced for the Games by preparing for the possibility of sudden movements if the baby started kicking while she was at full draw. I’d say that her practice paid off.
The Paralympic archery rounds brought excitement and more historic moments to the sport, putting a nice bow on the end of a truly remarkable Olympic and Paralympic year.
Keep your eye on these athletes as we look ahead to 2028. See you in L.A.!
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