D’Amour, Esebua seed top in Americas qualifier for 2024 Olympics

Nicholas D’Amour at the Olympic qualifier in Medellin.

The US Virgin Islands’ Nicholas D'Amour (673) pipped the host’s Santiago Arcila (672) to recurve men’s top seed over the 72-arrow 70-metre round at the Americas’ continental qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this morning in Medellin, Colombia.

Canadian duo Kristine Esebua (645), formerly a world championship medallist with Georgia, and Virginie Chenier (644) paced the women.

Four individual spots – two for men and two for women – will be awarded by the end of tomorrow’s competition, but each nation can only win a maximum of one in this event. 

D’Amour was given a universality invitation to the last Olympics.

“As long I’m there and I feel like I’ve earned it, and I feel I can give my best performance,” he said ater securing pole. He’s the highest-ranked recurve man competing at 11th in the world.

“It’s never easy to win an Olympic spot. The pressure of qualifying for the Olympics is big for a lot of people. It’s always about whoever controls that pressure the best.”

El Salvador’s Oscar Ticas is also in the mix, seeding third with 661 points.

He qualified a quota for the Rio 2016 Olympics eight years ago in Medellin before testing positive for a banned substance, having the ticket revoked and receiving a one-year ban.

Competition continues with eliminations down to a last eight this afternoon at the Unidad Deportiva de Belen.

Top seeds: Americas Olympic qualifier

See full event results.

Recurve men

  1. Nicholas D'Amour, US Virgin Islands – 673
  2. Santiago Arcila, Colombia – 672
  3. Oscar Ticas, El Salvador – 661

Recurve women

  1. Kristine Esebua, Canada – 645
  2. Virginie Chenier, Canada – 644
  3. Adriana Espinoza, Ecuador – 626
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