Paralympic champion Matt Stutzman has announced his return to competitive archery, setting his sights on a historic goal: qualifying for the LA28 Olympic Games and becoming the first Paralympic gold medalist to win an Olympic gold medal in archery. The announcement comes after Stutzman retired from international para-archery competition following his triumphant performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where he captured his first Paralympic gold medal with a record-breaking score of 149 out of 150 in the men's individual compound open final.
Stutzman, known worldwide as "The Armless Archer," decided to come out of retirement when compound archery was added to the Olympic program for Los Angeles. "I thought winning gold in Paris was the perfect ending to my career," Stutzman said. "But when compound archery was added to the Olympic program for Los Angeles, I realized my story might not be finished. I have the opportunity to attempt something that has never been done before—and I have to take that shot."
Compound archery will make its Olympic debut at LA28 through a mixed-team event, with one male and one female archer from each qualifying nation. Stutzman will aim to earn the men's spot on the U.S. team through USA Archery's U.S. Olympic Trials athlete selection process. This campaign represents one of the most ambitious crossover attempts in Olympic and Paralympic history, as Stutzman would compete in the Olympics just four years after winning Paralympic gold, with the chance to become the first Paralympic champion to capture an Olympic archery title.
Born without arms, Stutzman uses his feet to hold and fire his compound bow, employing a release mechanism near his shoulder. His innovative technique and remarkable accuracy have made him a standout in international archery. Stutzman made his Paralympic debut at London 2012, winning silver, and went on to represent the U.S. at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 before his gold in Paris. He also became the first Para athlete to be named World Archery's overall Archer of the Year.
The road to LA28 will be highly challenging, as only 12 compound mixed teams are currently expected to compete, making qualification exceptionally selective. Stutzman will need to compete against the top compound archers in the U.S. and worldwide, while adapting to the unique demands of mixed-team competition. "I understand how difficult this will be," Stutzman said. "Nothing is guaranteed—not qualification, not selection and certainly not a medal. That is exactly why the challenge means so much to me. Paris proved that the greatest achievements can come after the moments when other people think your career is over."
The LA28 Olympic archery competition will take place at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Compound mixed-team qualification is scheduled for July 19, 2028, with medal rounds on July 21. Stutzman's journey will involve national and international competitions, intensive training, and seeking commercial partners to support his unprecedented campaign. "This journey is about more than one athlete or one medal," Stutzman added. "It is about creating a moment that can change how the world looks at ability. I won my Paralympic Gold Medal. Now I am coming back to take aim at Olympic history."
