Join AUS Squad
Back To News
It was theatre on the esplanade when Taymon Kenton-Smith, delivered outstanding performances in archery, earned a spot in the bronze medal match marking Australia’s best performance since Rio in 2016.
Renowned for engaging with fans in a way few athletes can, Kenton-Smith’s presence was electrifying, turning heads and winning hearts. His blinding green and gold hair, his signature giant Wedgetail eagle feather hat and his unique style and flair, made him the undisputed star of the day.
“I came here to win and, you know, I won the crowd, so that’s definitely something I will never forget,” Kenton-Smith said.
While he did not win a medal, Kenton-Smith had a stellar day on the range. Ranked in 23rd spot after the initial ranking round, he faced a daunting challenge in the 1/16 elimination round against China’s Jun Gan, who ranked in 10th spot and is the world number four. Despite the odds, Kenton-Smith emerged victorious, defeating Gan 6-2.
Kenton-Smith’s momentum continued into the 1/8 elimination round, where he took on the world’s top-ranked archer, Samuel Molina of Mexico, and triumphed 6-4 booking his spot in the quarterfinals.
Continuing with his winning streak Kenton-Smith took the match 6-4 from the Republic of Korea’s Geonhwi Kwak landing him a spot in the semi-finals where a 6-2 loss to Polish opponent Lukasz Ciszek placed him in the bronze medal match where he lost 6-0 to Mohammad Reza Arab Ameri from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“I’ve got no regrets from today,” Taymon-Smith stated confidently. “I won against the world number one and world number four. I beat them. This is why I have a lot of respect for archers, because I was not just one of the best archers today, I was also one of the luckiest.”
The day’s events highlighted the razor-thin line between victory and defeat in the sport. Taymon-Smith emphasised how quickly the tide can turn in these high-stakes matches. “It so often comes down to one arrow,” he said.
“Our matches are so short, it’s only a handful of arrows in total, so the tiniest slip-up makes the world of difference.”
Tomorrow Kenton-Smith will join forces with teammate Amanda Jennings in the mixed team recurve open. When asked about the event he said: “Anything can happen, let’s go Aussies!”
The duo will face India’s Harvinder Singh and Pooja in what promises to be a highly anticipated and fiercely contested match, marking the final event on the archery schedule.
Watch the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on the 9Network and 9Now live and free.
By: Amanda Scott, Paralympics Australia
Published: 5th September 2024
