PETERSON HITS A BULL'S-EYE; 17-YEAR-OLD ARCHER COMPETES IN OLYMPIC TRIALS.Byline: Nevin Barich Nevin Barich (born August 6, 1979) is a former American sports journalist now working as the Senior Editor of The National Notary, a trade magazine based in Los Angeles with a circulation of more than 300,000 nationwide. Staff Writer The realization of it all hasn't has·n't Contraction of has not. hasn't has not hasn't have hit Jessica JESSICA Java-Enable Single-System-Image Computing Architecture Peterson Pe·ter·son , Oscar Emmanuel Born 1925. Canadian jazz pianist. A prolific recording artist noted for his technical skill, he is best known for work produced with his own trio (1953-1965). yet. Peterson, a 17-year-old amateur archer from Malibu, will compete in the Olympic Trial Semifinals on Aug. 24 in Bloomfield, N.J. If she does well there, she'll compete in the finals in Chula Vista Chula Vista (ch  `lə), city (1990 pop. 135,163), San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1911. next month. And if she's successful there, she'll get on a plane to Sydney, Australia, for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event held every four years, organised by the International Olympic Committee. . You'd think that all of this would place a lot of pressure on Peterson, the nation's top-ranked amateur in her age group who has only competed in archery archery, sport of shooting with bow and arrow, an important military and hunting skill before the introduction of gunpowder. England's Charles II fostered archery as sport, establishing in 1673 the world's oldest continuous archery tournament, the Ancient Scorton for three years. But all of this has yet to really register in her mind. ``When I first started, I just wasn't expecting to go as far as I have,'' said Peterson, who will be a senior at Malibu High this fall. ``But somewhere along the line it started to click and now it just goes.'' Peterson placed in the top 32 in the quarterfinals last month in Ohio, finishing 19th. In the semifinals, the field will be cut to 16 and later to eight. At the finals Sept. 4 and 5, the top three advance to the Olympics Olympics Sports medicine An international competition among (traditionally) nonprofessional athletes trained in a particular summer or winter sport, which is held every 4 yrs in a selected city. See Paralympics, Special Olympics, World Medical Games. . While making the Olympic team is within reach, Peterson realizes that, with her lack of experience, she's a long shot to represent the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. as one of the nation's best. ``There are just so many good archers out there,'' Peterson said. ``I'm coming up, and I'm still coming up, and it's just so tough.'' Peterson's instructor, Don Rabska, agrees. ``This time, it's going to be really tough for her,'' Rabska said. ``She's not quite at the level yet where some of the other competitors are. She'll be a very strong contender for 2004. That's probably (making the team in 2004) her goal. It's just not in her program right now, making this year's team and getting to the Olympics.'' Peterson took up archery in 1996. While attending a boat show at the Ventura Fairgrounds n. pl. 1. same as fairground. , she came upon a little game booth where you could win a prize by shooting it with an arrow. The result: Peterson won a little stuffed turkey and a potential Olympian came to be. Peterson joined the Conejo Valley The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both Southeastern Ventura County and Northwest Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States. It was discovered in 1542 by Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, and eventually became part of the Rancho El Conejo land grant by Archers Club soon after and eventually became a member of its Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) program, in which she began learning the sport at a competitive level. ``She has the desire,'' said John Norberg, the instructor for the JOAD program at the Conejo Valley Archers Club and Peterson's former instructor. ``Of everyone I've ever coached, she has the most desire. She wants to win, she wants to make the Olympics. If not this year, it will come.'' It was only a matter of time before Peterson began racking up some archery accolades. Last September, she came away the winner at the Pacific Coast Championship in Sacramento. In May, she returned to Sacramento to win the state championship. Last month, she took second at the National Target Championships in Iowa and earlier this month placed third at the JOAD Championships in Utah. Peterson might be wary now about her chances for the Olympics, but she has always had an underlying confidence. ``The first time I met Jessica,'' said Norberg, ``she told me she was going to the Olympics.'' And it might be sooner than she thinks. PETERSON FILE Name: Jessica Peterson Age: 17 Sport: Archery Notable: Finished 19th at the Olympic Trial Quarterfinals last month in Ohio, qualifying her for the semifinals Aug. 24 in Bloomfield, N.J. . . . The nation's top-ranked amateur in her age group. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, Box PHOTO (1--Color) Malibu archer Jessica Peterson, 17, qualified for the Olympic semifinals to be held Aug. 24 in Bloomfield, N.J. Peterson won the state championship in May. (2--Color) Jessica Peterson took up archery after winning a prize at the Ventura County Fair. Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer BOX: PETERSON FILE (see text) |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion