PARIS, France – The W1 archers of Tracy Otto and Jason Tabansky wrapped up their first Paralympic Games on Monday when finishing sixth in the mixed team competition.
Archery continues for the USA on Wednesday, when five-time Paralympian Eric Bennett and debutant Jordan White head into their elimination matches. Bennett will be watched at a Games by his children, Logan and Natalie, for the first time. They arrived with mom Rachel on Monday from Arizona.
Bennett will be the first of the two recurve men open archers to take to the field when he faces Suresh Selvathamby (MAS) in their 1/16 round encounter. White, aged just 15, then takes on Lukasz Ciszek (POL). There will be live coverage on NBC and Peacock.
Both will be eager to build on the success so far for USA archers in Paris, which produced two individual gold medals on Sunday, won by Tabansky and then Matt Stutzman in compound men open.
And while Tabansky will eventually leave Paris with a gold medal in his carry-on luggage, Otto will step back on the aircraft with an engagement ring on her left hand. Her and new fiancé Rick Riessle are also looking forward to parenthood after announcing on Monday that they are expecting their first child in January!
It has been quite the emotional rollercoaster for both athletes.
The video of Riessle proposing to Otto under the lights of the Eiffel Tower has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. The story of this young woman - paralyzed as a result of domestic violence and now performing on the world stage - has resonated so strongly with so many.
And then there is retired Staff Sgt. Tabansky emotionally saluting the Stars and Stripes during his medal ceremony to honor fallen comrades, and especially his close friend Staff Sgt. Kyle McKee, who was killed in a helicopter crash in 2020.
The two archers have faultlessly represented their nation at the Paralympic Games but their journey of how they reached this sporting pinnacle is something which has catapulted them into a spotlight they rarely get to experience.
Sport can be such a force for good but sport alone may not always be enough. You add in powerful tales of good people overcoming bad things, showing that there truly is life after setbacks and being that force for good within sport, and you have the world’s attention.
“As people may notice, I’m not very outgoing while I’m competing,” said Tabansky. “But now I’ve been given a platform and I want to be able to reach out to people, especially new injuries – people who are lost with a new injury and a new change in life – and let them know that there is something out there for them, and it might not be archery, but it can take them off their couch, out of the house, get them away from drugs and alcohol and allow them to do something which is going to impact even more people.”
Tabansky is not one for fanfare, rather he is softly spoken, but he will leave Paris having caused quite the storm with his performance. A little over two months ago, he was not even part of the Paralympic picture. An injury to an Australian archer opened the door for Tabansky, who received the late call due to his world ranking.
When the time comes for the team to depart, he and wife Courtney, will head back to a small town which is building quite the reputation for being home to athletes exceeding expectations.
“I’m super proud to be able to represent my hometown,” he continued. “Boerne, Texas has been put on the map, not just by me. Our Little League baseball team went to the World Series and made it all the way to the U.S. Championship, so we got a lot to celebrate when I get back to little ol’ Boerne.”
The pairing of Tabansky and Otto were defeated by eventual bronze medalists Italy in their mixed team quarterfinals match, yet both were all smiles afterwards, able to reflect on a first Games and get set for the World Para Championships in 2025 and the small matter of the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
As already mentioned, Tabansky was not supposed to be in Paris. His opportunity was a result of someone else’s misfortune. Otto will tell people that she was not supposed to be here, and by that she means the attack which left her paralyzed was carried out by someone who had every intention of killing her. And yet here she was, smiling and inspiring.
“The love and support I have had throughout this journey has just been unbelievable,” Otto explained. “The love is one I’ve never known before. Growing up wasn’t the greatest and circumstances weren’t very bright but the community that I have around me now has just changed my entire outlook on life.
“I just remember sitting on the line today and telling myself that I believe in myself, and having that narrative in my mind has never been something that has ever been there before and it felt really good to actually believe in myself.”
Paralympic sport is more than medals; it is also the messaging, delivering hope and inspiration and purpose. While medals determine champions, we often discover that idols and heroes can be ordinary people doing extraordinary things; people like Jason Tabansky and Tracy Otto and KJ Polish and Matt Stutzman and Eric Bennett and Jordan White.
Upcoming Schedule
* times in ET and subject to change
September 4
3:00am – Recurve men open 1/16 round: ERIC BENNETT vs. Suresh Selvathamby (MAS)
4:59am – Recurve men open 1/16 round: JORDAN WHITE vs. Lukasz Ciszek (POL)
You can keep up to date with all the drama and excitement from the Paralympic Games with the Paris 2024 Archery Pass. This mobile pass keeps you up to date with competition schedules, merchandise sales, gives you a chance to play USA Archery's online archery game On Target, and provides resources so anyone can connect with a local club to try archery. Don’t miss out, get your Paris 2024 Archery Pass today!
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