A number of Cariboo Archers made the trek north to Quesnel to compete in the 2023 BC Indoor Target Archery Championships recently.
There were over 100 of B.C.’s best target archers who descended upon Quesnel for the event and Cariboo Archers fared well.
Cameron Prest impressed everyone when he posted a superb score from his wheelchair. While his handicapped certification has been delayed, Prest competed against able-bodied men in the compound fixed pins category. He finished a close third and took home the bronze to win his first-ever medal at an archery event. It also happened to be the first archery event he had ever competed in.
“The sky is the limit for 21-year-old Cameron,” said coach Al Campsall.
Maria McKee and Cara Fraser also competed in their first ever BC Championships. McKee won the bronze medal in the 50-plus compound category against perennially strong competitors. Not to be outdone, Cara Fraser finished a strong second to win the silver medal in the compound fixed pins category. Through their exemplary efforts, both women have made huge progress in skills in the last year.
Last year’s compound men’s champion and last year’s B.C./Canadian record setter, Isaac Bedford, took a brief hiatus from his professional archery career in the USA and competed in the men’s compound category. Bedford had to build new arrows for the competition because his regular competition arrows were not legal for this competition – they were too ‘fat.’ It took him some time to discover that they were not quite adequate.
He returned on Sunday with different arrows and valiantly tried to make up ground. He was successful in making up some, but not enough to overtake the first and second place archers. Bronze would have to suffice for Bedford.
Fourteen-year-old, Lily Fraser, shot very well to win the bronze medal against girls three years her senior. Her much-improved second day of competition saw her almost catch the silver medalist.
Al Campsall won the gold medal in the 70-plus compound category.
A number of Cariboo Archers are travelling to Kamloops this coming weekend for the first outdoor 3D shoot for most of them in this season.
READ MORE: Cariboo archers once again let fly in Quesnel
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