Jérémy Baillion Wins Bronze at U21 Archery World Championships

Jérémy Baillion secured a bronze medal in the U21 classic bow archery category at the World Archery Field Championships in Yankton, South Dakota, nicematin.com reported. The 19-year-old French archer finished second in the qualification round before defeating Mexico’s Neil Oliver Méndez 58–57 in the individual medal match, closing out a season that also included a national U21 runner-up finish in August.

World Championship Bronze in Yankton

Competing in Yankton, South Dakota, Baillion maintained his composure through the individual knockout stages after qualifying second in the U21 classic bow division. In the decisive match for the podium, he faced Neil Oliver Méndez of Mexico. Baillion held the lead from the opening arrows to secure a narrow 58–57 victory, earning the bronze medal.

“My goal was a medal, but it depended on the form of the moment and the other archers,” Baillion said, as reported by nicematin.com. “I didn’t really know what to expect. I’m happy because it’s a great performance, especially since many of the favorites had been knocked out very quickly.”

Baillion Studies Engineering While Pursuing Archery

Baillion began practicing archery at age 10 in Mouans-Sartoux, following his mother and sister into the sport and joining the Archers du Parc club. Alongside his athletic progression, he studies engineering at an institution in Sophia Antipolis. The bronze medal in the United States follows a silver finish at the French championships in August and a previous national U18 title won in 2021.

“I like archery because there are individual and team competitions,” Baillion said. “It’s a very demanding sport, more difficult than you think. You have to stay focused for a long time.”

Next Target for the French Selection

Following his return from South Dakota, the Grasse native is taking a scheduled break ahead of the indoor season. His primary target for the upcoming calendar is earning a selection for the French national team ahead of the European Championships scheduled for late February.