Archery Preview
Team USA has many new faces and strong contenders for the Pan American Games Lima 2019.
On the men’s side, a promising, up-and-coming recurve squad is anchored by three-time Olympic medalist and reigning world champion Brady Ellison. Ellison won individual and team silver medals at the 2015 Pan American Games, followed by individual bronze and team silver at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Now in the best shape of his career and ranked first in the world, he is hungry for gold. Ellison is joined by teenage sensation Jack Williams, who won team gold at the 2018 World Archery Youth Championships, and finished in the top eight at the 2019 World Archery World Championships. Thomas Stanwood is a 40-year-old lawyer, drummer, father of twin baby boys and talented archer. Stanwood has made several appearances for the U.S. on the world stage and is working hard to bring home his first international podium finish.
At just 15 years old, Casey Kaufhold is the young phenomenon taking the recurve women’s world by storm. She has dominated the national circuit and made her breakout appearance on the senior world cup circuit in 2019. With multiple international podium finishes this season, she is absolutely one to watch. Kaufhold is joined in Lima by five-time Olympian Khatuna Lorig, who took individual gold and team bronze at the 2015 Pan American Games, and Erin Mickelberry, who is also on a big upswing this season and is looking for her first major international podium finish.
Looking toward the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, Lima will be Team USA’s second chance to clinch any quota spots not secured at worlds. With one men’s spot locked up already, the U.S. can secure a maximum of one women’s spot in Lima, with either the highest-placed female athlete or the highest-placed mixed team in Lima’s competition.
Compound archery will be previewed for the first time in Lima, marking a major step towards future Olympic program inclusion. The U.S., which has a long history as a dominant force in the compound world, is a strong favorite to secure the gold. World No. 2 Braden Gellenthien, the most decorated archer in world cup history, will compete in Lima alongside world No. 6 Paige Pearce, who has the most youth world championship medals of anyone in history and won silver at the 2019 world championships. The two will be tough to beat by any continental opponents.