D’Amour, Esebua seed top in Americas qualifier for 2024 Olympics

The US Virgin Islands’ Nicholas D'Amour (673) pipped the host’s Santiago Arcila (672) to recurve men’s top seed over the 72-arrow 70-metre round at the Americas’ continental qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this morning in Medellin, Colombia.

Canadian duo Kristine Esebua (645), formerly a world championship medallist with Georgia, and Virginie Chenier (644) paced the women.

Four individual spots – two for men and two for women – will be awarded by the end of tomorrow’s competition, but each nation can only win a maximum of one in this event. 

D’Amour was given a universality invitation to the last Olympics.

“As long I’m there and I feel like I’ve earned it, and I feel I can give my best performance,” he said ater securing pole. He’s the highest-ranked recurve man competing at 11th in the world.

“It’s never easy to win an Olympic spot. The pressure of qualifying for the Olympics is big for a lot of people. It’s always about whoever controls that pressure the best.”

El Salvador’s Oscar Ticas is also in the mix, seeding third with 661 points.

He qualified a quota for the Rio 2016 Olympics eight years ago in Medellin before testing positive for a banned substance, having the ticket revoked and receiving a one-year ban.

Competition continues with eliminations down to a last eight this afternoon at the Unidad Deportiva de Belen.

Top seeds: Americas Olympic qualifier

See full event results.

Recurve men

1. Nicholas D'Amour, US Virgin Islands – 673
2. Santiago Arcila, Colombia – 672
3. Oscar Ticas, El Salvador – 661

Recurve women

1. Kristine Esebua, Canada – 645
2. Virginie Chenier, Canada – 644
3. Adriana Espinoza, Ecuador – 626