“It isn’t going to feel real until I walk into the village and see the Olympic rings.”
When talking to Eric Peters (BSc ’22) days earlier than his first Olympic occasion, he seems calm and centered. After over a decade of coaching, working towards and competing in archery, he’s feeling able to make his Olympic debut on the Summer time Video games.
“Coming here, knowing that I’m representing Canada, and all that hard work that I’ve put in over many, many years … it just feels really good,” he mentioned with a smile. “It’s a bit of a relief. I’m a little anxious and excited … lots of feelings.”
Peters grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, however has been dwelling in Kitchener since he attended the College of Waterloo. His archery profession took off whereas he was a scholar within the College of Science and Eric says he’s grateful for the supportive professors who helped make it attainable for him to stay out his desires, whereas maintaining along with his research.
“I remember I wrote a quantum mechanics exam in Dr. Nooijen’s office because I had to jump on a plane right after and go to another country for an event.”
Peters has been taking pictures a bow since he was 11, however his mother and father weren’t eager for him to take up a taking pictures sport at that age.
“I got into it because I was a nerdy kid. I like fantasy books, movies and games and all that sort of stuff,” he mentioned. “The idea of archery really appealed to me, and I begged my parents to let me try it.”
When he got here to Waterloo, Peters discovered camaraderie with the UW Archery Membership. He regrets not having extra free time to be concerned as a scholar however appreciates how they’ve constructed consciousness for the game.
“I used to say ‘it’s not very often people get to try archery’ but the UW Archery Club is making that happen. They’re always very busy at the beginning of each semester with students who are excited to give it a try,” Peters mentioned.
Following the Archery World Cup in Antalaya, Türkiye in June, Peters is ranked fifth on the earth. On the World Archery Championships in 2023, he received silver within the males’s particular person recurve occasion. Eric additionally represented Canada at two Pan American Video games — Santiago 2023 and Lima 2019, the place he was a double medalist.
I’m trying ahead to competing, that’s why I’m right here — to symbolize Canada and do my finest,
— Eric Peters (BSc ’22)
Standing on the rostrum on the Summer time Video games could be historic, not only for Peters, however for Staff Canada which has but to win an Olympic medal in archery.
“I’ve had lots of opportunities to do really cool things up to this point, but this is the big one,” Peters mentioned and added that competing on the Olympics has been his objective since he was an adolescent. “It’s always been part of the plan.”
Again in 2021, he was shut to creating his Olympic debut in Tokyo for the postponed 2020 video games. When he didn’t make it, he was motivated for Paris.
“There’s never a guarantee, you never know what’s going to happen, you still have to work really hard and put everything forward and do your job,” Peters mentioned. “But it’s always felt reasonable to expect that I could go in 2024.”
Staff Canada is sending two archers to Paris — Peters, together with Virginie Chénier of Laval, Quebec. Eric competed within the particular person rating spherical July 25, which seated him in thirty sixth place. His subsequent particular person occasion is scheduled for July 30. The gold medal occasion for males’s particular person archery is August 4.
When he is completed competing, Peters plans to discover Paris along with his fiancée. Whereas he’s visited the town a number of occasions for competitions main as much as the video games, he’s solely conversant in the within of lodges and the archery vary.
“I’m looking forward to competing, that’s why I’m here — to represent Canada and do my best,” Peters mentioned. “But beyond the competition, I do have a couple days after my events before I leave, so we can tour Paris and see the Louvre and Eiffel Tower.”
With the College of Waterloo neighborhood cheering for him, Peters feels grateful for all of the help and stays humble whereas taking within the expertise.
“It feels really cool. I feel honoured and it’s just incredible.”
Along with Eric Peters, former Waterloo scholar Claire Scheffel will likely be competing with Canada’s Creative Swim Staff. She can be making her Olympic debut after qualifying for the Summer time Video games in February. The College of Waterloo sends finest needs to all Olympians and supporters related to our neighborhood.
