Paris to be fourth and final Paralympic Games for Matt Stutzman

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT is presented by WIAWIS.

In November last year, Matt Stutzman said his success in para archery was inspired by basketball icon Michael Jordan. Now, like Jordan once did, Stutzman is nearing his ‘last dance’.

The 41-year-old has revealed that the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will most likely be his final international competition, bringing a close to a star-studded career that saw him win a Paralympic silver on his debut in London, a world title in 2022 and inspire numerous other ‘armless archers’ to take up the sport.

Stutzman’s love for archery will forever remain but the physical toll of shooting with his leg is giving the 41-year-old a hard choice to make.

“I’ve been having some hip issues recently and you can tell after 13 and a half years or so of shooting every day, my hips are what the doctors say are ‘wearing out’,” said Stutzman.

“Can I do four more years of training at the level I need to train at to make another Games? Where will that put me with my body as far as my hips are concerned?”

“That’s all the stuff we’re weighing up right now.”

The London 2012 silver medallist hasn’t completely ruled out returning to compete at LA 2028, on home soil, but he’s not promising it either.

“That’s several years from now so who knows, but as of now, I foresee this as my final event for team USA and want to enjoy the moment and everything I’ve got to experience,” he said.

Stutzman’s impact on the world of para archery cannot be overstated.

At last year’s world championships, he helped coach Sheetal Devi, the Indian 17-year-old who shoots in an almost identical manner to Matt, and even shot Devi’s bow – as probably the only expert in equipment for armless archers in the world.

Stutzman believes he has a future in that very specific coaching niche.

“That’s kind of where my focus would be with helping them out, trying to get them started because archery has given me a purpose,” he said.

“From the second I started shooting and realising how powerful it was for me to be able to compete with no arms against people with arms, my whole world changed, and I want them to feel that because that is literally a life-changing moment, it’s not just flinging arrows.”

There will be no shortage of archers – armless and otherwise – lining up for some of Matt’s magic.

Including Stutzman, there are now six armless archers in the top 100 of the compound men and women’s world rankings, three of whom competed at the last world championships. Matt says he’s asked monthly how an armless person can start the sport – and the will to help these people has largely overtaken his own personal drive for success.  

“There are days and moments where it makes me happy that I had an impact in someone’s life in a positive way,” he said.

“I’ve always wanted to be known as one of the best archers in the world, that’s always been my focus, my goal, that’s what I always push for, but I realised later in my life, that being the best archer in the world didn’t always mean winning everything.”

“Yes, I’ve done pretty well, but it’s about how you change the sport for the better,” added Stutzman, “That’s what I believe makes someone the best at what they do and, to have six people without arms competing at that level is amazing.”

The visual impact of someone shooting a bow with their feet is undeniable. But for the uninitiated, who’ll see it even more during the upcoming Paralympics, there have been calls for an independent category.

Stutzman is firmly against it.

“I really hope not because every archer that I’ve helped get to where they’re at today does it because they like the feeling of being able to compete against people with arms and beat them,” he said.

Before he hangs up his bow, there’s one major title missing from Stutzman’s cabinet.

“No matter how it turns out [in Paris] as far as the podium is concerned, I think it would be amazing if there was a one, two, three on top and they’re all armless archers,” he said. “That will… show the world that even though they have no arms, they can compete with the best in the world and win.”

Stutzman idolises Michael Jordan because he changed perceptions in basketball.

Matt has changed perceptions in and around para archery. Surely he deserves a fairytale ending to his own last dance?

“It’s awesome to win gold but for me it’s about changing the world, educating the world what people with physical disabilities can do.”