Paralympic champion Matt Stutzman announced his return to competitive archery on Aug. 4, aiming to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Stutzman, widely recognized as “The Armless Archer,” intends to become the first Paralympic gold medalist to win an Olympic gold medal in archery.
The decision follows the inclusion of compound archery in the Olympic program for the Los Angeles Games. The discipline will make its Olympic debut in a mixed-team event featuring one male and one female archer from each qualifying nation. Stutzman plans to pursue a position on the U.S. compound team through the USA Archery Olympic Trials selection process.
Stutzman had previously retired from international para-archery competition after his success at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. During the Paris competition, he won the gold medal in the men’s individual compound open event, setting a Paralympic record with a score of 149 out of 150 in the final. His achievements led to him being named World Archery’s overall Archer of the Year.
Born without arms, Stutzman employs a unique technique to compete, using his feet to hold and fire the compound bow via a release mechanism positioned near his shoulder. His decorated career includes a silver medal at the London 2012 Paralympics and representing the United States at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games.
The upcoming campaign is considered one of the most ambitious crossover attempts in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic movements. Stutzman indicated that the move is driven by a desire to challenge perceived physical limitations and to demonstrate his standing among the world’s elite archers.
Qualification for the LA28 event is expected to be highly selective, with only 12 compound mixed teams projected to compete. The Olympic archery competition is scheduled to be held at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Mixed-team qualification is set for July 19, 2028, with medal rounds taking place on July 21, 2028.
