Two archery athletes named to Canadian Olympic Team for Paris 2024

TORONTO (June 28, 2024) – Archery Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced the roster of Team Canada archery athletes nominated to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The athletes are:

Virginie Chénier (Laval, Que.)
Eric Peters (Kitchener, Ont.)

Peters made Canadian history with his performance at the 2023 World Archery Championships. He won silver in the men’s individual recurve event after he faced off with reigning Olympic champion Mete Gazoz in the final. It was Canada’s best-ever result in the men’s individual recurve division at the world championships and the podium finish earned Team Canada an Olympic quota spot for Paris 2024.

More recently the 27-year-old achieved a career-high world ranking of fifth on June 24, 2024, following his fifth-place finish at the Archery World Cup in Antalya, Türkiye. That matched his career-best result on the circuit, which he first achieved in April 2023, also in Antalya.

Peters has represented Team Canada at two editions of the Pan American Games. At Lima 2019, Peters was a double medallist as he won gold in the men’s team recurve with teammates Crispin Duenas and Brian Maxwell and a bronze in the men’s individual recurve. He also competed at Santiago 2023, where he and Chénier were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the mixed team event, placing sixth overall. Paris 2024 will be Peters’ first Olympic Games.

“It feels crazy, it’s a culmination of all the work and hardship I have been through over my career. While it is just one more step in my career, it’s an honour,” said Peters.

Chénier will also make her Olympic debut at Paris 2024. The 29-year-old has major Games experience having competed at three editions of the Pan American Games – Toronto 2015, Lima 2019 and Santiago 2023. She was Canada’s top-ranked athlete in women’s individual recurve in Santiago, where she advanced to the quarterfinals. Chénier was part of an all-Canadian final with Kristine Esebua at the Pan American Continental Qualifier in April, which secured one Olympic women’s spot for Canada.

“I am super excited to be named to my first Olympic team,” said Chénier. “It has been hard work and perseverance for the last decade and I feel like all of it is finally paying off. I am looking forward to wearing the maple leaf proudly and being part of such an amazing team while giving my all out on the field of play.”

By qualifying an athlete of each gender, Canada will also compete in the mixed team event at Paris 2024. At the Pan American Championships in April, Chénier and Peters won bronze together, defeating Argentina with a dominant 6-0 victory. 

Canada has not yet won an Olympic medal in archery. The best Canadian result at an Olympic Games came at Montreal 1976 where Lucille Lemay finished fifth in the women’s individual event. The top result in the men’s individual event belongs to Donald Jackson’s sixth-place finish at Munich 1972.

“It is a privilege to support Eric and Virginie through their Olympic journey. Not only are they great people, but they are also high-quality athletes who have proven their capability to excel on the world stage,” said Joe Leszner, the team’s mental performance consultant. “I look forward to being a part of their Olympic experience and helping them be the best versions of themselves when it matters most.”

“It is always an honor to represent our country at the Olympic Games, ” said National Team Advisor, Ron van der Hoff. “With Eric Peters and Virginie Chénier, Team Canada boasts a highly skilled mixed archery team. I am proud of their incredible journey over the past few years to reach this level. With just a few weeks left to refine their routines, they are ready to showcase their talent to the world!”

Archery will take place July 25 to August 4 (Day -1 to 9) at the Les Invalides venue. 

“Bravo to Virginie and Eric for qualifying for their first Olympic Games,” said Bruny Surin, Team Canada’s Paris 2024 Chef de Mission. “The precision, skill and endurance required for elite archery is incredible, and these two have proven that they have what it takes. We will be cheering at the iconic Les Invalides venue for Virginie and Eric to hit their targets in Paris!”

Team Canada’s archery team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games also includes the following coaches and support staff:

Ron Van der Hoff (Ysselsteyn, Netherlands) – Head Coach and Team Leader
Joseph Leszner (Thornhill, Ont.) – Mental Performance Consultant

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organizations.

The latest Team Canada Paris 2024 roster can be found here.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Kylah Cawley, High Performance Manager
Archery Canada
C:613-260-2113 ext. 1
E: kcawley@archerycanada.ca

Tara MacBournie, Program Manager, Sport Communications
Canadian Olympic Committee
C: 647-522-8328
E: tmacbournie@olympic.ca