Events like the Winnipeg 2025 World Archery Youth Championships bring some nations to the global archery community that we don’t see so often on the international stage, and with almost 600 archers arriving from all over the world, there’s some stories to tell.
The sole representative of Jamaica here in Winnipeg is Isabel Angelina Chin, aged just 13. The Carribean nation is of course best known for its global sporting achievements in track & field, and archery is only a small – but growing – sport in the country.
“I started in high school,” said Isabel. “I stayed at 10 metres for a while, like five months, then I moved up and competed in the Caribbean Developmental Championships, and that was a really great experience for me. Who do I look up to? I really like the Mexican archers, especially Alejandra Valencia.”
With under-18 women competing at 60 metres in the youth championships, Chin built up her training to be here and shoot at the distance. “My bow poundage was only 18 pounds a couple of months ago. I had to go up by 10 pounds in the last couple of months. We train in long grass. I endured a lot of mosquito bites.”
It was still a big leap to shoot in one of the biggest international competitions of all.
“I didn’t really believe it until I crossed the Canadian border. I’ve never seen so many people in one place before. I was really scared when I first walked in. Especially at the hotel because the Canadian team was just coming in too. I was like, “Oh my gosh, it’s a lot of people and I’m just here, alone!” said Isabel.
“But on my first day of practice and I met a guy from Great Britain who was really nice and we traded pins. It’s not nearly as scary as I thought it was. There’s something that’s so beautiful about the archery community is that everyone’s really warm and welcoming.”
