Brock Paton (centre), the founder of the Osoyoos Traditional Archery School, along with students Sarah Martin and Alex Rousseau, became national champions in their respective divisions at the recent Canadian National 3-D Archery Championships in Alberta. (File photo)
After a gruelling 17-hour drive and two days of competition, three members of the Osoyoos Traditional Archery School have returned home as national champions.
Club founder Brock Paton, 69, as well as club members Alex Rousseau, 18, and Sarah Martin, 39, returned home as national champions from the Canadian National Outdoor 3-D Archery Championships in Lac la Biche, Alta.
In 3-D archery, competitors shoot arrows at lifelike targets ranging from small animals like gophers to huge targets like elk, buffalo and moose.
All three captured gold medals in their respective divisions at the national indoor championships this past April in Lethbridge, Alta.
The outdoor nationals were held over the August long weekend and attracted more than 400 archers from across the country.
Paton continued to prove he’s one of the very best archers in the country as he captured a gold medal in the men’s longbow division. This is the fourth gold medal in this division in the past five years. He also has one silver medal.
Rousseau, who only joined the Osoyoos club several months ago, captured the junior longbow gold medal.
This victory came only two weeks after Rousseau captured the gold medal in the Canadian National Aboriginal Games in Regina, Sask.
Martin, who also joined the Osoyoos club several months ago after moving to this region, proved she is arguably the top female archer in the country as she easily captured the top female longbow title at nationals.
This comes only a couple of months after claiming the provincial championship.
Martin’s score was the highest amongst all female competitors in any division at nationals, said Paton.
“To have three national champions from the same club is an honour I’m certainly proud of,” said Paton, who has twice competed in the world championships over the past five years.
When the national team is named in early September, Paton is confident he and Martin will both be named and will, therefore, qualify to compete in the world championships next summer in France.
The world championships are held every second year. Paton competed in the 2013 world championships in Italy.
Martin has proven herself to be one of the best female archers he has ever had the opportunity to watch during his long career as a competitive archer, said Paton.
“She is simply incredible,” he said. “She has only been competing seriously for a couple of years and to become a provincial and national champion in that short a time is truly remarkable.
“I have no doubt she will be named to our national team and I would truly hope that she will be able to compete in the world championships next year in France because I think she would do very well against the top female archers anywhere in the world.”
Even though he is closing in on 70, Paton said he still loves the challenge of practicing on an almost daily basis to get ready for major competitions like the nationals.
“Not too bad for an old guy,” he said smiling.
Rousseau is planning on studying engineering when he begins post-secondary studies in a couple of weeks and likely won’t have the time to continue practicing until his post-secondary studies are completed, he said.
“My hope is he knows he has the talent and he will get back to archery once he’s finished school,” he said. “He’s only a teenager, but he has tremendous talent and I think he will get back into it when he has more time once school is finished.”
Paton said he remains hopeful the success at nationals will attract more members as the local club may be forced to close if more members don’t join in the next couple of months. Paton can be reached at 250-495-7878.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
