Australian Olympian eyes more gold in archery

One of the stars competing in archery at the Sol2023 Pacific Games is Australian’s Ryan Tyack. With an illustrious career spanning more than a decade, Tyack, who proudly led the Australian team as the flag bearer during the Opening Ceremony, is already lighting up the archery tournament at Honiara’s DC Park.

On Tuesday he won gold in the men’s recurve single 720 round 70m, and on Wednesday he qualified alongside Australian teammate Laura Paeglis for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the Oceania qualifying tournament, which is running alongside Sol2023.

At 32 years old, Tyack carries with him the weight of experience garnered from representing Australia at the highest echelons of archery, having clinched a bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and participated at Tokyo 2020.

Expressing his joy and appreciation for the opportunity to represent Australia at Sol2023 he said: “I’m thrilled to have the chance to make my country proud in this year’s Games. I appreciate the beauty of the land and the warmth of the people here.

“While our archery team has high expectations, personally, I do not set any specific goals. Every participant is here to win and represent their countries, striving for medals. Therefore, we will give our best effort to secure medals as well.”

Hailing proudly from Mapleton in the Australian state of Queensland, Tyack sees himself as a great ambassador for Australia at the region’s largest multi-sport event. He extends a warm invitation to the Australian community in Honiara, urging them to rally behind Team Australia in archery throughout the week at DC Park.

The archery action will continue Friday at DC Park. With free entry for the public, the competition promises an exhilarating experience, providing a chance for everyone to witness the intensity and excitement of this high-stakes event.

By Tali Dever, Pacific Games News Service