Justin Gauthier will represent Quebec in archery at the upcoming Canada Winter Games running from March 1 to 4 on Prince Edward Island, Radio-Canada reported.
The 15-year-old archer from Rouyn-Noranda shoots with the Club des Archers d’Amos and secured one of four spots available on the provincial squad. He will compete against athletes from nine provinces and three territories in the compound bow event.
“L’Île-du-Prince-Édouard, les Jeux du Canada, ça représente une montagne pour moi,” Gauthier told Radio-Canada, comparing his path to the national event to climbing a mountain from a zero starting point.
Gauthier first picked up a bow for hunting before transitioning to competitive target shooting. He estimates he has released hundreds of thousands of arrows to reach this level.
“J’ai commencé à tirer de l’arc pour la chasse. Au total, j’ai dû tirer des centaines et des centaines de milliers de flèches et à la fin, tout clique ensemble,” he said, according to Radio-Canada.
Archery disciplines in Abitibi-Témiscamingue lean heavily toward 3D animal targets rather than long-distance concentric target shooting due to regional hunting traditions. Gauthier said that reaching a national team in the concentric discipline from his home region is an uncommon feat.
Before heading to the Island for the early March games, Gauthier will travel to Pennsylvania in late January for the Lancaster Archery Classic, one of the largest tournaments in North America.
“C’est l’une des plus grosses compétitions de tir à l’arc en Amérique du Nord. Là, on tire pour beaucoup, beaucoup d’argent. C’est les meilleurs au monde qui vont tirer là, alors je vais me mesurer aux meilleurs,” Gauthier told Radio-Canada regarding the upcoming event.
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