Team Virgin Islands (ISV) archers took their shots and began day one of the archery competition at the 2023 Pan American Games. Team ISV Archer and Olympian Nicholas D’Amour is ranked number eight in the world and is competing in the Men’s Individual Recurve competition. Team ISV Archer Anne Abernathy is competing in the Women’s Individual Recurve competition. Abernathy is also a six-time Virgin Islands Winter Olympian.
“Today was good, but I wanted it to be at least 14 points higher in score. I shot my personal best. However, there was a 10 break in the middle of the ranking round. Unfortunately, my shoulder cooled down too much, and it took / ends to regain my shot,” said Anne Abernathy.
Both D’Amour and Abernathy are competing against 32 archers in their individual divisions at the 2023 Pan American Games. D’Amour finished day one ranking 21st in his division, and Abernathy also finished with the same ranking in her division. In the team competition, D’Amour and Abernathy together rank ninth.
“It’s terrific to have the folks back home cheering me on. Also, the archery family is highly encouraging and supportive. I’m the oldest archer on the range, and at the age of 70, I may be the oldest athlete at the Pan Am Games. Yet I’m still holding my own against athletes less than half my age,” said Abernathy.
Both D’Amour and Abernathy have been gaining momentum this year, competing around the world in archery competitions. D’Amour has been climbing up the ranks fast since representing Team Virgin Islands at the Olympics for Tokyo 2020. This June, he finished in the top 10 at the Medellin World Cup, and in July, he won the gold medal for Team Virgin Islands at the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador.
Both D’Amour and Abernathy will begin day two of the archery competition with individual matches in the elimination rounds. Abernathy will face Valentina Vazquez from Mexico, and D’Amour will face Oscar Ticas from El Salvador. After their individual matches, they will shoot in a mixed-team match against Cuba.
