The Romsey community is getting behind Patrick French in his quest for gold at the Paralympics.
French has been named in the six-person Australian archery team for the Paris Games which start next month.
French said it was pretty special to be heading to the Games. Australia didn’t have Para-Archery teams in 2008 or 2012 and there has been a resurgence of the sport.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. ”It is awesome and it’s been such a quick rise for me through the ranks of the sport.
“It’s been just on two years from when I first started.
“Pretty early I set myself a little challenge [to make the Paralympics].and thought I would give it a red hot crack.”
French had a workplace accident in 2015 that left him paralysed from waist down and with an acquired brain injury.
Before his accident he’d only done archery a couple of times as a child for a bit of fun.
“I got a bow and I thought I would try my luck with hunting,” he said. “I never did that, I got the bow and got into target archery and it became full on.”
French shot an Australian indoor record last year, but as he wasn’t qualified it didn’t count.
It’s just more motivation for him to do it again.
French said many people didn’t think he would get an opportunity like this after his accident.
“I’m not amazed that much,” he said. “When something happens like that you can sit around and be miserable or try and enjoy your life despite it.”
French has set big expectations for himself for the Games.
“I want to be up on the podium,” he said. “I’m not going just for the experience.
“I want to put Australia on the map for internationally for archery.”
French’s family won’t be able to make the trip to Paris, but they and the rest of the local community are getting behind one of their own.
“It has been overwhelming the support I’ve had from them,” he said. “The local pubs in Lancefield and Romsey had a meat raffle last week.
‘I’ve had support from everyone there. The Romsey Football Club is doing a little fundraiser for me in the next few weeks.
‘It is awesome and they are happy for me, they don’t care if I do well or not.”
French has a fundraiser set up to help fund his Olympic dream.
To donate: https://asf.org.au/projects/patrick-french/pat-to-the-paralympics
