From August 8-11, 2024, the Canadian Outdoor Target Championships took place in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where Manitoba’s archers made a remarkable impression. With a dedicated team of fifteen athletes—nine in compound, one in barebow, and five in recurve—Manitoba’s provincial team demonstrated exceptional skill and perseverance. Coach Dale Bakker ably supported the Team at his first Canadian Championships in the role of Team Coach. Below is a full listing of Manitobans who were competing at the Championships:
- Compound U13 Men – Laganjot Sandhu
- Compound U15 Women – Khushreet Sandhu (Provincial Team Member)
- Compound U18 Women
- Acadia Flockton – (Provincial Team Member)
- Bailey Mathers – (Provincial Team Member)
- Compound U21 Women
- Chyler Sanders- (Provincial Team Member)
- Taylor Klimchuk – (Provincial Team Member)
- Compound 21+ Men
- Brady Klassen – (Provincial Team Member)
- Ryan Cherniak – (Provincial Team Member)
- Compound Men Open (Para Archery Division)
- Chris Waterman (Provincial Team Member)
- Recurve U15 Women – Tiauna Bustard
- Recurve U21 Men – Kadin Giebelhaus (Provincial Team Member)
- Recurve U21 Women
- Sarah May (Provincial Team Member)
- Cleo Wermann-Thorn (Provincial Team Member)
- Recurve Women Open (Para Archery Division)
Outstanding Performances and Achievements
In the Compound U13 Men division, Manitoba’s Laganjot Sandhu showcased his prowess by securing first place after the ranking round with an impressive score of 661.
Khushreet Sandhu (pictured below), competing in the Compound U15 Women category, not only clinched first place after the ranking round but also set a new Canadian Championships record with a score of 679. Reflecting on her achievement, Sandhu said, “I had a really great time, and I’m happy that all my hard work and dedication paid off.”
In the U18 Compound Women division, Manitoba’s athletes had a notable presence. Bailey Mathers earned a bronze medal match victory with a score of 133 – 126 over Victoria Tensen of Alberta. Rookie Provincial Team Member Acadia Flockton displayed remarkable skill, making it to the final match, where she earned a silver medal. The gold medal match saw Flockton tie with the top-ranked Anya Pinel of Ontario at 137 – 137, leading to a tense shoot-off determined by an arrow measurement. Flockton’s margin was just 1mm short of gold, but she was thrilled with her silver medal performance. She shared, “The qualification round of the Target event was a rainy morning. I tied my personal best to finish qualifications in 3rd place, earning a bye into the quarter-finals. I started slowly but could move into the semis, where I carried the momentum to the gold medal match. The gold medal match was decided in a single arrow shoot-off, with both of us hitting X’s. Everyone around us, teammates, parents and coaches, couldn’t believe we both shot an X, and nobody could tell who won. The suspense to determine the winner was insane. The judge had to bring out the callipers to determine a winner, and I was 1mm short. I was excited to receive the U18 Female Compound Division silver medal. I told my parents we will go to Lac La Biche, AB, next year!”
In the U21 Compound Women division, Manitoba’s Chyler Sanders and Taylor Klimchuk competed strongly, finishing in the top four. Sanders emerged victorious in the bronze medal match, defeating Klimchuk 137 – 135.
In the 21+ Compound Men division, Ryan Cherniak and Brady Klassen both performed admirably. Klassen fell to eventual Canadian Champion Yerxa Connor from New Brunswick in the quarter-finals, while Cherniak advanced to the bronze medal match, where he lost in a shoot-off to Benny Parenteau of Quebec, finishing 4th.
Barebow and Para Archery Highlights
Manitoba’s sole barebow competitor, Greg Rubell, excelled in the 50+ category. He ranked first after qualification and went on to win gold in both the Target and Field competitions. Rubell expressed his pride, stating, “I feel very proud and humbled to have won Gold in both the Men’s Barebow 50+ Target and Field competitions. This was the largest Barebow group I have ever shot with, and the competition was stiff. In reflection, I believe that the support I have received from both the 17th Wing and Flatlanders Archery Clubs and shooting indoors at Heights in the winter has enabled me to achieve these goals. I can’t express how much the encouragement and wishes I have received from the other archers and those associated with this sport have meant to me.”
In the Para Archery divisions, Manitoba’s Chris Waterman and Carolyn Lindner found the podium, finishing second and first place, respectively, in their categories after the ranking round.
Recurve Division Success
In the recurve categories, Manitoba’s youngest competitor, Tiauna Bustard, debuted at the Canadian Championships in the U15 Women category. Bustard placed 2nd after the ranking round but was narrowly defeated 4 – 6 by Iris Champagne of Quebec in the quarter-finals.
In the U21 Recurve division, Kadin Giebelhaus (pictured below) achieved a notable 4th-place ranking after qualification. Giebelhaus’s strong performance included a close semi-final match against top-seeded Dylan Villanueva of Ontario, where he lost by a slim margin of 5 – 6. He bounced back to win the bronze medal match against Charles Dufour of Quebec with a score of 6 – 4. Giebelhaus commented, “It was a really good shoot. It was the first time in a long time I could shoot like I do in practice, which I think helped me win a medal. It was an exciting event, and it was my first time getting on the podium for target during nationals.”
On the women’s side, Cleo Wermann-Thorn ranked 6th in qualification and advanced through the rounds to win the bronze medal match with a decisive 6 – 0 victory over the first-ranked Amelia Gagne. This achievement marked Wermann-Thorn’s first national championship podium finish.
Manitoba’s success at the 2024 Canadian Outdoor Target Championships resulted from hard work and dedication from all athletes. We extend our gratitude to the Archery Manitoba and Provincial Team Members who trained tirelessly and proudly to represent Manitoba. Special thanks to their families for their unwavering support. Coach Dale Bakker played a crucial role in guiding the team, and we appreciate his commitment. Finally, we thank the Pentagon Archery Group, Archery Canada, and Archery New Brunswick for hosting an exceptional championship event.
Manitoba’s archers have set a high bar for future competitions, and their achievements at this year’s championships are a testament to their skill and determination.
To see the full results listing, visit https://www.ianseo.net/Details.php?toId=18772
Competitors hailed from all four western Canadian provinces, the Northwest Territories, Ontario, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Colorado, bringing a diverse and vibrant energy to the competition. Despite the weather conditions leading up to the event threatening to disrupt the venue setup, the organizing committee and volunteers ensured everything proceeded smoothly.
