David Jackson, a 34-year-old professional archery coach from Albi, France, won his third individual world title in 3D archery at the World Championships in South Dakota, United States.
World Championship Victory in South Dakota
Competing against 33 other athletes in his category, Jackson secured the gold medal in the barebow division, marking his sixth overall world championship gold when including team events. The tournament, which takes place every two years, returned to American soil following previous editions in Canada in 2019 and Italy in 2022. Jackson noted that he entered the competition as the sole French representative in his division.
The Demands of 3D Archery
Unlike Olympic target archery, 3D archery takes place on outdoor nature courses where competitors shoot at three-dimensional foam animal targets. The course consists of 24 targets placed at unknown distances, requiring archers to estimate range accurately before releasing an arrow. Athletes can use five different bow types: barebow, hunting bow, traditional longbow, bare compound, and free style. Jackson competes using a modern barebow, which features neither a mechanical sight nor a stabilizer.
From Heroic Fantasy to Elite Competition
Jackson began practicing archery at age 13 with the Compagnie des Archers de l’Albigeois before later joining the Union club, where he now works as a professional coach. He initially took up the sport due to a childhood interest in medieval history and heroic fantasy literature, citing works like J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. After starting with a standard Olympic recurve setup, he transitioned to barebow after watching a competitor outscore him without sights.
Training Regime and Mental Conditioning
While not holding official high-level state athlete status, Jackson dedicates one to three hours daily to training alongside his professional coaching duties. His preparation includes cardiovascular work, muscular strengthening to build drawing power, and sessions with a mental coach to enhance emotional control and focus during high-pressure competition.
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