Ticas one step closer to Olympic redemption at Pan Am qualifier

Oscar Ticas is two match wins from finally achieving his Olympic dream.

The 37-year-old booked a place to Rio 2016 at the continental qualifier in Medellin eight years ago, but then failed a doping test and received a one-year ban, missing the Games. He’s back in the Colombian city – this time with his sights set on Paris 2024.

“I am overwhelmed. I am just a few steps closer to fulfilling the Olympic dream that was taken away from me a few years ago,” he said after making the recurve men’s quarterfinals today.

“I’m very happy to be able to participate again and have the opportunity for a quota.”

Ticas, three Colombians and archers from the US Virgin Islands, Argentina, Bermuda and Cuba remain in the hunt for one of the two Olympic quota places available tomorrow. Each country can only win a maximum of one spot.

“Today was the first step out of two to make it to the Games. Two very important days to work on getting the quota,” he continued. “Today was the first step in the direction of the Olympic dream.”

Top seed Nicholas D'Amour of the US Virgin Islands remains in the competition – as does Kristine Esebua in the recurve women’s competition.

She’s one of three Canadian archers who will shoot for the spots tomorrow, alongside contenders from Chile, Puerto Rico, Ecuador and Cuba.

Tuesday’s finals at the Americas Olympic qualifier for Paris 2024 are available to watch worldwide with a subscription to archery+.

Elite eights: Americas Olympic qualifier

See full event results. The top two athletes in each gender will win Olympic quota places, with a maximum of one place per country.

Recurve women

Competition will take place morning (local time) on Wednesday 9 April. Live on archery+.

• Kristine Esebua (Canada) versus Gabriela Anabalon (Chile)
• Stephanie Barrett (Canada) versus Nilka Cotto (Puerto Rico)
• Adriana Espinoza (Ecuador) versus Alondra Rivera (Puerto Rico)
• Larissa Pagan (Cuba) versus Virginie Chenier (Canada)

Recurve men

Competition will take place afternoon (local time) on Wednesday 9 April. Live on archery+.

• Nicholas D'Amour (US Virgin Islands) versus Andrés Hernandez (Colombia)
• Mario Jajarabilla (Argentina) versus Jorge Enriquez (Colombia)
• Oscar Ticas (El Salvador) versus Camerin Pickering (Bermuda)
• Javier Vega (Cuba) versus Santiago Arcila (Colombia)