Local hero Toucoullet tops recurve qualifying with Paralympic record

Recurve qualifying taking place on Thursday afternoon at the Paris 2024 Paralympics saw Guillaume Toucoullet and Elisabetta Mijno seed top in record-packed ranking rounds.

While the Italian woman closely missed the Paralympic record with 641 points, Toucoullet shot 652 to secure the men’s top spot, breaking the Paralympic record by eight points. 

“I feel very good,” said the local hero. “It was a little bit hard start to the qualification round because of the wind, but then I could read the wind and start shooting the way I wanted.”

The world number two confirmed his strong shape prepared for the home event.

“It’s not finished yet. I would like to stay focused for the other matches.”

Toucoullet’s performance is all the more significant given that seven years ago, he had never practised archery. A former high level rower, his relationship with the discipline has taken quite a turn over the years.

In his own words, he used to think that archery wasn’t a real sport. Now a double Paralympian, the 39-year-old is aiming for gold in the arena at Les Invalides.

Korea’s Kwak Geonhwi and Indonesia’s Kholidin followed the Frenchman in the men’s ranking round at Paris 2024.

Italy’s Elisabetta Mijno closely missed the Paralympic record in the recurve women’s qualifying as she scored 641 points.

The 38-year-old archer found the right rhythm in the second half of the round and went on to take the top seed.

“I was shooting good in the second part of the qualifying,” she claimed. “In the first part, it wasn’t very good with my feeling.”

“I think it’s an important day to have a good position in the ranking round, but the competition starts the next day.”

Now a five-time Paralympian, Mijno twice came in fifth at the Ganes. In Tokyo 2020, she seeded second but lost in her second elimination round.

“I’m confident, but we know the qualification round has a little different character than the competition,” the Italian concluded.

Wu Chunyan of China came in second, and Selengee Demberel of Mongolia completed the women’s top three.

Mijno and Stefano Travisani topped the mixed team ranking round with a combined score of 1268 points.

The archery competition in Paris continues with compound eliminations on Friday.

Top seeds: 2024 Paralympics

Full results on the event page.

• Recurve men: Guillaume Toucoullet, France – 652 (Paralympic record)
• Recurve women: Elisabetta Mijno, Italy – 659
• Recurve mixed team: Elisabetta Mijno and Stefano Travisani, Italy – 1268