Archer Jere Forsberg, 30, who won gold at the 2012 Paralympics in London, is competing in his fourth Paralympics in Paris.
Aino Paloniemi,
Maija Kautto
The Paris Paralympics will take place from August 28 to September 8. transmits race broadcasts and follows events on its channels.
Archer Jer Forsberg will compete in his fourth Paralympic Games in Paris. Forsberg, 30, who is one of the most experienced athletes of the Finnish para-national team, has been getting a feel for the shooting location in Paris in recent days, the conditions of which satisfy the Finn.
– This is different from Finland. Above all, seeing these Paris 2024 signs here.
Forsberg describes the strong wind that blew at the race site on the training days as the only criticism.
– It’s a bit spinning there. Mainly there is a tailwind and it is at least challenging for yourself when you can’t tell if it will take you up or down. It will take you where it hurts, but you will slowly get used to it, Forsberg estimates.
Archery is one of the first Finnish sports at the Paris Paralympics, with a qualifying competition scheduled for Thursday, August 28. In addition to Forsberg, he competes in archery Jean-Pierre Antoniosin the W1 class of the pulley spring.
On the eve of a big sports festival
According to Forsberg, the race condition is good, and the preparation for the main goal of the summer has gone according to plan.
– I dare to say that it is quite good. I believe that both shooters will be in good condition for the preliminary competition, Forsberg predicts his and Antonios’ arrival.
The preparation has also included watching the Paris Olympics and especially the Olympic archery, when after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics tinged by the corona pandemic, there is another return to competing in front of a large audience.
– I actually watched all the archery at the Olympics. I got used to the final field and saw the crowd. It really feels like a top sport. The feeling of a proper sports party, Forsberg sets the mood.
12 years since the perfect match
At the 2012 London Paralympics, Forsberg won gold in the open category of the pulley bow. At that time, he was 18 years old and at the beginning of his career. In Rio de Janeiro 2016, Forsberg’s competition ended in the quarterfinals, and in Tokyo the result was eighth place.
Forsberg’s mind sometimes still goes to the competition that brought the jackpot in London.
– It’s always a bit of a search for equality. Let’s see now, when you get to the field to shoot next Friday, how similar it feels, Forsberg recalls his competition 12 years ago.
– All the work has been done to get at least very close to the London ranking, but you’ll see that later.