Nicholas D’Amour determined to win Olympic quota in final opportunity

Only one archer listed in the top 10 of the world rankings represents a country without a ticket to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

In Nicholas D’Amour’s defence, though, his inclusion among such esteemed company is a fairly recent development. The 19-year-old from the US Virgin islands sat in a distant 196 as recently as 20 March, before the rankings were unfrozen after the pandemic, jumping to world number nine through a series of deep tournament runs and podium finishes at world ranking events.

Faced with one last opportunity to secure his spot at the final qualification tournament in Paris, D’Amour will look to deliver on his claim that an individual gold medal at the Olympics is within his grasp. 

“I don’t feel any pressure, I don’t have any expectations,” D’Amour said during his practice session on Friday. “I just want to perform my way so I can do really strong. That’s my expectation.”

D’Amour has made his Olympic aspirations known all season.

After the 2021 European Grand Prix in Antalya, he professed ambitions of not just qualifying for the Games in Tokyo, but winning them, along with a litany of additional superlatives that include the number one ranking in the world.

Securing a quota place in Paris on Monday is the next step toward turning his goals into reality. 

“Of course, it would be a dream coming true, but I don’t focus on that,” D’Amour said. “I stay in the present. That’s how I can win this spot.”

Nicholas, the lone man from the US Virgin Islands at this tournament, is not competing in Saturday’s team qualifier. However, he will still shoot his qualification that morning. The individual spots for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be awarded on Monday.