First US Virgin Islands archer to qualify for the Olympics. WA

Nicholas D'Amour has become the first archer to qualify for the Olympic Games. He did so last Tuesday. He won the semi-finals in Medellin last Tuesday to secure his place in the continental qualifiers. In Tokyo 2020 he won a place at the 2020 Olympic Games through universal qualification.

Nicholas D'Amour is now part of the history of the US Virgin Islands. The athlete has become the first archer to qualify for the Olympic Games and will be present at Paris 2024.

D'Amour secured his place in the men's competition at the continental qualifiers in Medellin on Tuesday. The archer defeated Argentina's Mario Jajarabilla in his semi-final, but later suffered a narrow 6-2 defeat to Colombia's Santiago Arcila in the gold medal final. Mario Jarabilla finished third to complete the podium.

At the Pan American Olympic Individual Qualifiers in Medellin, the US Virgin Islands and host nation Colombia qualified men's recurve quota for Paris 2024. The US Virgin Islands were already represented at Tokyo 2020 thanks to a place won through universal qualification. But this is the first time in history that they have done so through individual qualification. 

Nicholas D'Amour celebrates his qualification in Medellin. WA
Nicholas D'Amour celebrates his qualification in Medellin. WA

D'Amour was in charge of the US Virgin Islands and they came back from the pandemic much stronger. He went from being 196th in the world rankings to a top-five finish. In 2021, he finished in the top ten in every tournament he played and even won his first medal at the 2021 European Championships.

The US Virgin Islands experienced what happened to Dhiraj Bommadevara, who secured India's first Olympic berth in recurve archery for Paris 2024 at the Asian Continental Qualifier Tournament in late 2023. Puerto Rico and Canada also qualified for Paris 2024, along with the US Virgin Islands and Colombia.

Archery at the 2024 Olympic Games will take place from 25 July to 4 August at the Esplanade de Invalides, with a total of five gold medals up for grabs in the men's and women's singles, men's and women's teams and mixed teams categories.


The final of the women's recurve archery was contested by two Canadians. Kristine Esebua defeated Virginie Chenier 6-4. She thus booked her place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Alondra Rivera became the first archer from Puerto Rico to qualify in 28 years. (María Reyes was the last to compete in Atlanta in 1996).

"I am very happy with the result. I worked very hard and competed a lot with my team-mate. There is a lot of excitement for such a great result. I couldn't have asked for more," said Alondra Rivera after the competition, as quoted by Panam Sports.