DECATUR, Alabama - USA Archery is excited to open the 2016 U.S. National Target Championships, Easton JOAD Nationals and U.S. Open today with official practice. Almost 1,100 archers registered for the event, shattering records as the sport continues to grow nationwide. There are also guest archers competing from many countries including the Philippines, Canada, New Zealand, Korea, Thailand, Chinese Taipei and Ecuador!
"We're thrilled to see this event reach over 1,000 participants," commented USA Archery Outreach Director Mary Emmons. "This is huge for the sport, especially in a Paralympic and Olympic year, it's great to see the youth participation increase as archers catch the Team USA spirit and are coming out here to make friends and compete at this level. On behalf of USA Archery, we share a huge thank you with the Decatur County Visitors' Bureau for all of the efforts the community has made to create such a successful event for the second consecutive year."
"I love this field and this venue," commented archer Nathan Yamaguchi, "The Decatur community does a great job setting this up and it's great to have all the vendors out here and to see some real archery legends; Darrell Pace is on field crew and Rick McKinney is here. I'm also excited for the clout round tonight and to see the growth in masters and barebow - a lot of people are here having fun."
11 year-old Angelina Scarboro was excited for her first time at Nationals: "My favorite thing about being a barebow archery is that you just have to get the feeling of the bow and the feeling of shooting it. I'm excited to be here, to shoot and make new friends, and to beat my brother!"
The fun continues tonight with the Welcome Reception and Clout Round. Competition begins tomorrow with two days of qualification. Live scores will be available here. For more, follow USA Archery on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Photo by Juergen Beck, Freedom Light Productions.
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