Tom’s Blog: Paris Paralympics a celebration of resilience and spirit

The 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris showcased the remarkable success of archery, uniting individuals representing a record 47 National Paralympic Committees from across the globe to demonstrate resilience, skill and perseverance – but even more so, high-level competitive sport.

As a pure tournament, these Paralympics were great.

Every medal was hard-earned, every athlete deserved to enter that arena.

This success could not have been achieved without the unparalleled efforts of the Paris 2024 team under the leadership of Sébastien Flute – and the unwavering support from the public.

Spectators turning out in droves, the stands as full as they were one month ago for the Olympics, acknowledging the elite skill of the talented para athletes competing below.

But the archery events at the Paris 2024 Paralympics were not merely competitions, they were a tapestry of human stories marked by triumph, hard work, and perseverance. Each medal awarded represented a deeply personal journey, illustrating that success in sport is not just about winning but about the individual’s spirit and resilience in overcoming challenges.

The legacy of these Games will undoubtedly inspire countless newcomers to the sport, not least the fans who witnessed these extraordinary performances in person.

Footprints

Matt Stutzman, ‘The Armless Archer’, finally secured that Paralympic gold in Paris.

A significant (or as he claims, “final”) chapter in an-already storied career. He beat the man who put him in second place on the podium at London 2012 – Jere Forsberg – with an incredible shoot-off arrow. He played to the crowd. He lived every moment of it.

And so did the other new armless archers is the French capital.

The first-ever armless female to appear at the Paralympics, Sheetal Devi (a mixed team medallist) of India, and Mexico’s Victor Sardina. They are in the sport because of Matt – as will many more after his inspirational show in Paris, armless or not.

Another standout story came via Damien Letulle, a French archer who took part in the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games aged 23 before ending his career as an Olympian after falling from glass roof at the national training institute, leaving him quadriplegic.

The 51-year-old became only the second French athlete to compete in the Paralympics after an Olympics.

And he competed in front of Invalides, the storied hospital where he recovered from his accident. A powerful symbol of dedication and determination, one that embodied the spirit of the Games.

Significant, too, was British archer Jodie Grinham becoming the first openly pregnant athlete to win a Paralympic medal before then becoming the first pregnant Paralympic Champion. Her narrative is one of the evolving nature of sport, where barriers are consistently broken.

Nations making history

Highlighting archery’s growing prominence in India, Harvinder Singh emerged as a formidable competitor, getting the gold medal in front of a packed stadium, after he made history with bronze in Tokyo 2020, the nation’s first-ever Paralympic archery medal. His dedication led him to become India’s first gold medallist in archery at either an Olympic or Paralympic Games when he claimed the title at Les Invalides.

Singh’s success echoing throughout his home country symbolises hope and pride for many aspiring athletes, and contributes to India’s reputation as a stronghold in the sport.

Slovenia also made its mark in the archery arena, with its recurve mixed team made up of Ziva Lavrinc and Dejan Fabcic bringing home the bronze medal that added to the country’s rich sporting legacy.

A regular visitor to the World Archery Excellence Centre in Lausanne, Ziva’s commitment to training at this renowned facility has been instrumental to her success, allowing her to improve her skills and compete at the highest level.

Importantly, the Games also celebrated the first gold medal in compound women’s archery from Türkiye, with 26-year-old Oznur Cure Girdi making history for her country and establishing new female role models in the sport.

A new chapter

As we reflect on the incredible achievements of the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, the anticipation for the upcoming Games in Los Angeles builds.

The legacy of Invalides will serve as a catalyst for growth and innovation in the realm of sports for persons with impairment. It serves as proof of the power of human spirit – and of the excellence that can be achieved in this sport, no matter the obstacle.

The USA has two Paralympic archery champions – Stutzman and Jason Tabansky.

And an exciting opportunity to take this sport forward once again when we travel to Los Angeles in 2028.