Camerin Pickering, Bernard Wade and Jaydon Roberts will take aim at Olympic qualification competing among some of the world’s elite archers in Medellín, Colombia, next week.

The trio departed for the South American country yesterday to put their skills to the test in pursuit of securing individual and team spots for the island at the Paris Games this summer.

“This is an exciting time for the National Archery Association of Bermuda to have a team of archers ready to attend their first Olympic qualification event,” assistant coach Trina Roberts said.

The trio have their work cut out shooting 72 arrows from a distance of 70 metres at a 122-centimetre target during the Olympic qualifier to be held from Sunday to April 14.

“The coaches are pleased with the development of this male recurve team and the events they have attended in 2023 into 2024 have prepared them for this major event,” Roberts added.

Pickering is confident about his chances of success and is inspired by recent improvements.

“I’m feeling very confident with my shooting, so I’m looking forward to performing well,” he said.

“Preparation has been great leading up to this competition. After a few changes to my equipment, I’ve found improvements in my overall performance.

“The goal will be to obtain an individual as well as a team quota place for Bermuda in the Paris Olympics 2024. My objective will be quite simple; when the competition starts, I will focus on the process.”

Pickering earned Bermuda eligibility for a universality spot after achieving the Olympic minimum qualifying score at the Hyundai Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Paris last August.

He then claimed gold in the men’s recurve senior division at the Fall Harvest Star FITA tournament in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, three months later.

Wade is also up for the task at hand.

“This task is the biggest one I have ever taken part in and I am excited to be a part of it,” he said.

“I am confident that I will perform my best and that I am ready to succeed.

“Although the weather made training outdoors difficult, my preparation went well and I feel confident in my abilities.”

Wade also enjoyed success last year, having earned silver and bronze medals in the men’s recurve at the Island Games in Guernsey.

Jaydon Roberts, who at 18 is the youngest member of the contingent, is looking forward to competing against some of the world’s best.

“The competition level is high and I will take one arrow at a time towards my goal to secure a spot for the Olympics,” he said.

“Preparations have gone well with my training and I am ready to take this on.”

Roberts also enjoyed success last year, having secured gold in the men’s recurve junior division at the Fall Harvest Star FITA tournament in Pennsylvania.

Also accompanying the local contingent in Colombia is head coach Ross Roberts.