Sebastian Garcia shoots astonishing 719, one point shy of perfect 720
Sebastian Garcia shot 719 out of a possible 720 in the compound men’s outdoor 50-metre round, one of the highest scores ever recorded.
The result came during phase three of Mexico’s national selection trials in Mexico City on 5 March.
The score, achieved on the second day of competition, sets a new Mexican national record and exceeds the current world record for the 72-arrow round by one point. The recognised mark of 718 was set by Braden Gellenthien at the USA Archery National Target Championships in Decatur, Alabama, on 13 July 2016.
Garcia’s performance included 71 arrows in the 10-ring at 50 metres – a circle just eight centimetres in diameter – leaving him one point shy of a perfect 720.
“To be honest, I didn’t think I could break the world record,” Garcia said. “I was focused on shooting 360. On the first day, I missed two nines in the last three arrows of my first score, so I was left with a thorn in my side, but in the end, I did it.”
Because the Mexican selection trials were not registered on the international calendar, the score cannot be ratified as an official world record under World Archery rules. Nevertheless, the result stands as the highest score ever recorded for the round and highlights the exceptional precision achieved by the Mexican compound archer.
“It’s a little frustrating, but that’s how it is,” Garcia said of the score not being eligible for record status. “In the end I know what I’m capable of, and it doesn’t seem so far-fetched that it will happen again.”
The result also boosts his confidence ahead of the international season.
“I would say it puts me closer to the best in the world,” he said. “I had a good indoor season with many more events than before, and I spent a lot of time with the current best in the world. I feel that all of that helped me achieve this and get closer to them.”
Still only one arrow away from perfection, Garcia’s 719 raises the question many in the sport are asking: who will be the first to shoot a perfect 720 outdoors?
Mexico’s national selection trials are still underway. The fourth and final phase, scheduled for 16-18 March, will determine the country’s top eight archers – four men and four women – in both recurve and compound.
