LIMA, Peru – USA archers put in a number of record-breaking and outstanding performances to head home with 10 medals from the Para Pan American Championships.
Leading the way was KJ Polish, who set a new championship record of 698 in para compound men qualification before three scores of 148 in his elimination matches secured individual gold.
He was also part of the para compound men doubles and para compound mixed team to claim gold, alongside Ephraim Tonn-Bourg and Brandi Iannoli respectively.
USA’s men occupied the top three spots after qualification in para compound, with Polish followed by Tonn-Bourg and Ben Thompson. Thompson ended up with bronze.
Iannoli was in the form of her life. During qualification she set a career-high score of 659. She followed that with the number one spot in qualifiers for next year’s Para Pan American Games, claiming a quota slot for the United States.
Iannoli (pictured above) said, “I surpassed even my expectations! I left that field with pride swelling in my soul knowing and proving to myself and everyone else that I do belong on the top elite class of shooters. I walk out with my head held high and pride in myself.”
Polish and Tonn-Bourg defeated Colombia 156-151 in the gold medal match, setting a new championship record in the process. Polish left Lima with three golds and three championship records as he and Iannoli also beat Colombia in para compound mixed team 154-148.
The USA finished with five gold medals in their tally total of 10. Four of those golds came in team competition. With two in para compound, the other two came in W1. Jason Tabansky and Travis Wyatt needed a shootoff to edge Canada in W1 men doubles. Tabansky and Kimberly Garcia took the title in W1 mixed team with a 5-1 win over Chile.
Tabansky, the world number one in W1 men, also claimed the individual silver medal to go with the gold he won in Santiago, Chile the week before at the Hyundai World Archery Para Series.
The U.S. had two medalists in W1 women, with Tracy Otto claiming silver and Garcia adding individual bronze to her mixed team gold. Garcia had earlier taken the second seed spot after qualification.
Candice Caesar and Karen Sternfeld were denied a shot at the gold medal after a shootoff loss to eventual champions Colombia but they did emerge with bronze in para recurve women’s doubles.
“The match could not have been much closer, and while I was disappointed that we didn’t come away with the win, I am incredibly proud of how we competed and shot to the best of our ability,” Caesar wrote on social media, adding, “I’m proud of my teammate, proud of our fight, and grateful for the opportunity to represent the USA on this stage.
“We left it all on the line, one arrow at a time. The disappointment of a close loss can coexist with pride in how you showed up. Today, I’m choosing to celebrate the fight, the teamwork, and the opportunity ahead. We belong here. We earned our place. And we’re not done yet!”
Aside from their success in Lima, U.S. archers Jason Tabansky and Ephraim Tonn-Bourg were both recognized for their incredible and consistent form. Tabansky was named World Archery Americas' 2025 Para Archer of the Year, with Tonn-Bourg named the Youth Para Archer of the Year!
You can find all the results, scores and medal standings here from the 2026 Para Pan American Championships, while the following eight quota slots were earned for the 2027 Para Pan American Games, which also take place in Lima, Peru:
| Para Recurve Men | 1 Quota Slot |
Individual Round Para Pan American Championships
|
| Para Recurve Women | 2 Quota Slots |
Doubles at the Para Pan American Championships
|
| Para Compound Men | 2 Quota Slots |
Doubles at the Para Pan American Championships
|
| Para Compound Women | 1 Quota Slot |
Individual Round Para Pan American Championships
|
| W1 Men | 1 Quota Slot |
Individual Round Para Pan American Championships
|
| W1 Women | 1 Quota Slot |
Individual Round Para Pan American Championships
|
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