By Megan Wehring
DRIPPING SPRINGS – A local senior competed at a national archery championship – ranking high above her competitors.
Elimination rounds finished the individual competition at the 2022 JOAD National Target Championship, which took place July 20 through July 24 at the Jack Allen Recreation Center in Alabama. After two days of qualification, archers went head-to-head in individual elimination matches, leading to the crowning of the National Champions.
Keeping cool under pressure was a theme for several archers, including Dripping Springs High School senior Natalie Hong.
Competing in the Recurve U21 (Junior) Women division, Hong garnered sixth in the qualifications but advanced through the elimination round to land herself in the gold medal match against Grace Lum, where she won 6-5.
“I kept shooting my best shots and I was patient because I knew it was going to be a marathon. I kept telling myself that at the end of the day, the best shooter would finish on top,” Hong said in a press release.
Full results can be found at https://www.betweenends.com/tournament/1029/event/1592.
