Rebecca Jones has become the first Kiwi archer to be selected for the Youth Olympic Games.
The 16-year-old Oxford Area School student's selection was confirmed by the NZOC yesterday after she claimed New Zealand's Youth Olympic Games spot during last month's World Archery Oceania Championships in New Caledonia.
Jones, whotook up archery nearly six years ago after being inspired by the Hunger Games' fictional character Katniss Everdeen, said her achievement was a shock admitting the Buenos Aires Games was not initially a goal.
Let's here from our winner of the YOG CQT in the womens division.
Archery New Zealand
"I just started it for fun, I wanted to be like Katniss Everdeen and then once I started doing competitions I really loved it and loved the competitive environment."
"Initially I wasn't even going to put in my intention to go for the Games because I didn't think I was up to that level when it was first announced. I had just changed clubs, and coaches and technique and we were still working through that.
"But then the weekend after it was announced I shot a score of 599, the qualifying score being 600, and I thought 'maybe I should put my intention in for it' and then I just kept improving from there."
Rebecca Jones will compete as the first New Zealand archer at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Photo / Supplied
With a little over two months until the opening ceremony, Jones said she was looking forward to shooting alongside the world's best youth archers, adding she would aim for nothing less than gold.
"Just to shoot in that type of environment will be so different to what I've shot in before and at a higher level of competition so it will be great to experience that. But my goals definitely drive me and I'll be aiming for gold, as always. I just want to shoot the best that I possibly can and have fun while I'm there."
