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Jonathon Milne will focus on the upcoming mixed teams compound open event with teammate Ameera Lee after he narrowly lost 144-142 to Ken Polish from the US in the men’s compound open 1/8 elimination round.
Milne, who earned bronze medals at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games and the 2023 World Championships, was content with his performance.
“There’s only one shot that I was a bit unsure on, but the rest of them felt pretty good, so I’m happy with how I shot,” he said.
“I got beaten on the day, there wasn’t a lot in it. I know I can shoot, he knows I can shoot, we can both win it, it just comes down to the day.”
Polish seized an early lead, outscoring Milne 30-28 in the first end.
Both archers displayed remarkable consistency, with the second end finishing 29-29.
Polish extended his lead in the third, edging Milne 28-27 and the fourth end mirrored the earlier ones with both men scoring 29 points each.
Milne fought valiantly in the final end, outscoring Polish 29-28, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.
Milne highlighted the challenge of the winds, which added an extra layer for both athletes.
“It was a tough match, I shot the best I could, but the wind was just pretty unpredictable,” he said.
“Sometimes you’d draw up and it wasn’t there, other times it would be gusting to my left.”
Milne said his limited core function also made it hard to maintain stability in the conditions.
“We’ve both got the same issue with not having much core function. When that wind hits us from behind, we’re both aiming low and then you’re fighting to bring yourself back up in the chair,” he explained.
“Everyone’s shooting in the same condition.”
Milne remains optimistic as he prepares for the mixed teams compound open event on Monday with Ameera Lee. The duo will face Julie Rigault Chupin and Maxime Guerin from France.
“I’m always confident, I know I can shoot the scores to win, it just depends on what happens on the day,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to competing again and hopefully we have better conditions.”
Watch the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on the 9Network and 9Now live and free, and on Stan Sport till September 8
Amanda Scott
