CDO senior an archery ace
by Bryan Lee on Oct. 04, 2008, under SportsWorld championships up next for top-rated teen
Tony Don, a senior at Canyon del Oro High School, will represent the U.S. next week in the Junior World Archery World Championships in Turkey.
The inevitable question for Tucsonan Tony Don, the No. 1-rated junior archer in the U.S.: “Did you ever pull a ‘Robin Hood’ – split an arrow with another down the middle?’
“I have,” said Don, a senior at Canyon del Oro High School, “but with these arrows (carbon constructed) it’s (almost) impossible.”
As a rare youth ambassador for the sport of archery, Don has to explain the game and his efficiency.
He will represent the U.S. next week in the Junior World Archery World Championships in Antalya, Turkey. He hopes the 24-hour endurance odyssey of airline hopping doesn’t take away his eye and aim.
“You basically have to get used to being bored,” said Don, of the hours per week of shooting practice. “It’s a mental challenge.”
He finished second in August in the Junior Male Recurve Unites States Archery Association Junior World Trials. A recurve bow has two limbs of any cross section connected by a handle.
“It’s hard work,” he said. “I don’t think you have to have exceptional physical skill. It’s discipline and hard work. Keep shooting.”
Don began archery by going with his father, Damon, on hunting trips as young as age 6.
He became interested in target shooting four years ago and practiced at the Precision Shooting Equipment (PSE) complex on Fairview Avenue and acquired the tutelage of internationallyrenowned coach Alexander Kirilov.
“That’s when I got serious about it,” he said. “Working with Alexander was the difference.”
He finished sixth in the nation two years ago in the Junior Olympic Archery Development (JOAD) national tournament but hasn’t been impressed with himself until this year.
“I was not doing well, then all of a sudden it happened,” he said. “I was with the best. It’s like any (precision) sport. You get into slumps and wonder if you can get out, then you break out. You have to handle the ups and downs.
Archery is a lonely sport, an individual one, perfect for loners, although Don is admittedly a social guy.
“If I would compare archery to anything it would be golf,” he said. “It’s just you out there.”
