Jack Williams’ focus on building medal resume in 2022

Jack Williams became the first host nation representative to win a Hyundai Archery World Cup Final last year in Yankton, when he upset defending champion and legendary teammate Brady Ellison in a tiebreak for the recurve men’s title.

Williams shot a 10 to beat Ellison’s nine and prevent the world number one from matching Sara Lopez’s record seventh circuit title.

“The biggest memory I have… [is] being down and then fighting back, fighting back [and] getting to the point where I could have a shoot-off,” says Jack. “Then making the best shot I could to shoot a 10 to win.”

A steadily building presence on the international circuit, the seasonal trophy stands as Williams’ first major result on the world stage.

“Since then, a lot more people accept that I’m a good shooter and I’m a world-renowned shooter. I can walk into any group that’s on the line and everybody already knows me. We all can have fun, hang out, with anybody internationally because, now, everybody knows me,” he says.

“It just makes shooting so much more fun when everybody on the line is your friend. We’re all competitors, but we all can talk to each other and have good conversation.”

With this major result under his belt – and his first Olympic appearance in Tokyo, too – Jack’s got a lot to build on in 2022. He’s planning to attend each stage of the Hyundai Archery World Cup circuit, being held in Turkey, Korea, Colombia and France, and start to pad out a medal resume.

He thinks he’s on track.

“Coming back to my fundamentals,” he answers when asked about the plan for the season. “I know that will ultimately help and allow me to win.”

“I’m really hoping to have at least more podiums, or at least higher finishes, than I’ve had in the past,” he adds.

Prior to the win at the season finale in Yankton, Jack’s best result was a second-place at the second stage of last year’s tour in Paris. He lost that final to the very same man he beat for the circuit crown, Ellison.

“My biggest competitor is, obviously, Brady,” Williams admits. “He’s one of the best archers in the world… but he’s also my teammate.”

“Now it’s gotten to a point where some matches he’ll win and some matches I’ll win. It just kind of goes back and forth,” he continues. “He is my biggest competitor but also my biggest teammate and help. As soon as we might beat each other in the individual round, we’ve got to turn right around and shoot team rounds as good as we can together.”

“That’s what matters because, ultimately, even if we don’t win anything individually, team USA needs to start winning more.”

Jack, Brady and the rest of the US team will take to the field next week for the first stage of the 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup on 18-24 April in Antalya, Turkey.