Dubliner Adam Taylor has been selected to represent Ireland at next month's Hyundai Archery World Cup in Salt Lake City, USA, as he looks to become the first Irish archer since Keith Hanlon to qualify for the Olympics.
Hanlon finished 22nd in Atlanta but no Irish archery competitor has ever graced the Olympics since. Taylor will compete in the third stage of the World Cup in June with finalists qualifying from four various stages around the world, for the grand event in Rome on 2-3 September. Speaking to Balls, Taylor explained that this is just the beginning of his push for Olympic qualification:
This is a great start to my 2020 Olympic dream. Wearing the Irish Jersey, competing alongside the world’s top Archers at this World Cup, will be truly amazing. It’s been a long road to get here and my sights are firmly set to qualify for the World Championships in Mexico this year. If successful, this will be a huge step towards competing at a higher level and ultimately qualifying for the Olympics.
He has dubbed his quest the 'Trek to Tokoyo' and reiterated just how much work it has taken from everyone involved to even get this far, 'Archery may look like an individual sport, but there has been a great team behind me. From coaches to clubs, I have a lot of people to thank for the time and effort they put into supporting me.'
You can follow Adam's Trek to Tokoyo on his Facebook and Instagram pages, with the World Cup Stage 3 starting in Salt Lake City on 20 June.
