For his very first 3D European Championship, Muretain Julien Duprat didn’t make the trip for nothing.
Direction Divčibare, in Serbia, for an exotic and muscular adventure. The decor? Mountains, a warm atmosphere, and that thrill that only those who put on the blue outfit for the first time can understand.
Julien tests his two bows in training. He finally opts for his Uukha, a question of sensation – at this level, you cannot negotiate with feeling.
On to the qualifications. A little pressure at first, normal. A broken notch disrupts the score, but the boy remains solid. Result: personal best of 443 points and eighth place on the evening of the first day.
The next day, we do it again. Less chatter in the peloton, but still a clean shot. Fatigue attempts a breakthrough at the end of the course, except that Julien tightens the game. And again: second consecutive record with 455 points. Eleventh overall, heading to the round of 16.
And there, Serbia decided to test the archers’ resistance to something other than pressure. Snowstorm. End of September. Site paralyzed for two days. Volunteers transform into human snow plows. Without them, curtain.
Competition relaunched with mixed shots then team matches. The French fell to the English in the quarter. Julien then switches to individual. Facing the Swede Ludvig Rohlin, the battle was clean and close. 78-78. Shoot-off. A very slight excess of restraint, arrow in the 5. The Swede scores an 11. Thank you, goodbye.
The disappointment is logical, but short. Because in the end, Julien offered himself two records, a European round of 16 and a few kilos of souvenirs.
Team France leaves with medals, especially among the girls. And with an atmosphere like that, even in the snow, it was worth the trip.
“This first European Championship is an unforgettable experience,” confides Julien
He thanks his coaches, his Compagnie d’Archers de Muret club and of course his family. “You are my foundation, my strength, my motivation”. He comes back stronger, more motivated. And something tells us that we haven’t seen the last of him.
