Jason Tabansky achieved a significant career milestone by winning the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. The 41-year-old archer from the USA triumphed over China’s Han Guifei with a score of 134-131 in the W1 men’s final.
Remarkably, just nine weeks before the Games, Tabansky was not even qualified to participate. His opportunity arose only after Australia’s Chris Davis withdrew, allowing him to compete in Paris and make his Paralympic debut.
Describing the pivotal moment in the gold medal match, Tabansky recalled, “I remember loading my arrow, hooking my release, drawing back, and then screaming. I don’t remember the shot. All I could think of was to put the pin in the gold and punch this thing, and I did.”
Despite trailing after the second and third ends, Tabansky demonstrated resilience. However, his second arrow in the final end hit only the 7-ring, which could have hindered his chances for victory. Fortunately, he regained his composure, scoring a 10 to secure the coveted gold medal.
Tabansky faced a challenging route to the final, overcoming the defending champion David Drahoninsky along the way. He credited his success to rigorous practice, stating, “I practised at home four matches every day. That’s all I kept practising.”
He also mentioned that much of his training involved shooting against his wife, and as long as he maintained a winning streak within a specific point range, he felt confident in his abilities leading up to the competition.