LAUSANNE - World Archery, the International Governing Body for the Olympic sport of archery, has named Team USA's Erika Jones as the 2013 Female Athlete of the Year. The honor caps off a season of wins for Jones, who found success both on the podium and in setting new world records on the field.
Over 12,000 fans voted online, according to World Archery; the results of the online vote were combined with votes from the organization's Athlete and Coaches Committee to form a final outcome. Jones captured 27% of the overall vote for shortlisted female athletes, which included standouts Sara Lopez (COL), Burcu Dag (TUR) and Yun Ok Hee (KOR), among others.
We caught up with Jones for a few short questions following World Archery's announcement:
2013 was a big year for you - can you please share what your favorite moments were?
"2013 was a good year. My favorite moments were winning double gold medals at the World Games, winning the Vegas Shoot for the 3rd year in a row, and reclaiming the #1 world ranking. Oh, and traveling to Paris with my husband and competing at the base of the Eiffel Tower was an incredible once in a lifetime experience, to say the least. Being recognized by World Archery for this award is also a very big moment. It truly is surreal to think that people are taking notice of my success and believe I'm worthy of such an honor."
Looking back on the year, were there any big changes you made that resulted in your success, or do you think it was more a result of long term practice and experience?
"Nothing really has changed. I suppose the confidence and experience I have gained from my past achievements has simply helped propel me to more success."
As we approach the 2014 season, what are your biggest goals and how will you be working towards achieving them?
"My main goal will be to make good shots. This is always my focus because I cannot control my competitors, but I can control myself and my shooting. To do this, I will need to focus on training and my mental game."
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