OTTAWA, ON – Archery Canada is pleased to announce the team that is heading to the 2023 World Archery Para Championships in Pilsen, Czech Republic. Following their attendance at the Para-Archery European Cup in Nove Mesto back in May, this will be the team’s second international event of the year and the first of three events to earn spots towards the 2024 Paralympic Games.

The para compound open athletes going to represent Canada are:

• Chris Waterman (MB)
• Kyle Tremblay (ON)

The para recurve open athletes attending the event are:

• Shawn Matheson (ON)
• Jean-François Lavergne (QC)

The accompanying staff will be: 

• Linda Price, Team Coach
• Mike Fox, Team Coach
• Kylah Cawley, Program Manager

Chris Waterman and Kyle Tremblay both qualified for the team through automatic selection, based on their scores at previous events this year. Waterman also recently competed at the 2022 Parapan American Championships, where he placed 9th, and competed at the most recent iteration of the World Para Championships, taking place in Dubai. After taking some time off due to injury, Tremblay has re-emerged on the national para-archery scene. He has previously competed in two World Para Championships, 2017 in Beijing and 2019 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. 

Shawn Matheson is a newcomer to international para-archery competition; the Para-Archery European Cup was his first international event. He does have international experience in other sports as a former Paralympic medalist and World Champion in sledge hockey and will look to make great strides in the Czech Republic. Jean-François Lavergne is also newer to the archery scene, after exposure to archery and medaling at the Invictus Games. The event in Nove Mesto was his first World Archery international event, where he was able to test his skills on a larger stage. Most recently, he has attended national events, including Canada Cup and the 2022 Canadian Championships.

This is an important event for the para program, as it provides the first opportunity to gain quota spots for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. There are a total of sixteen (16) Individual Compound Men’s spots up for grabs, and fourteen (14) available in Men’s Recurve. Archery Canada is looking forward to seeing what these athletes will do on one of the biggest international archery stages.

Event Schedule

• Monday, July 17 – Official practice
• Tuesday, July 18 – Qualification rounds
• Wednesday, July 19 – Mixed team elimination rounds
• Thursday, July 20 – Individual elimination rounds
• Friday, July 21 – Secondary tournament for Paris 2024 individual qualification
• Saturday, July 22 – Finals
  • Individuals VI
  • Mixed teams, doubles, individuals CO
• Sunday, July 23 – Finals
  • Mixed teams, doubles, individuals W1
  • Mixed teams, doubles, individuals RO

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For more information, please contact:

Zoe Meil, Communications & Safe Sport Coordinator

zmeil@archerycanada.ca

(613) 260-2113 ext. 3