Iowa’s Armless Archer Reveals His Secret To Winning Gold

Matt Stutzman, renowned as the "Armless Archer," has captured the spotlight with his extraordinary achievements and inventive approach to archery. At the recent Paris Paralympic Games, Stutzman clinched gold in the Para Archery men’s individual compound open event. He also set a new Paralympic record for the elimination rounds, scoring an impressive 149 points. It's amazing to watch these Olympians and you can see a replay of many of their athletic performances on Peacock or Youtube.com

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Where is Matt from?

Residing in rural Iowa with his family, Stutzman has crafted a unique training regimen to mirror the high-stakes environment of competition. His training includes activities designed to induce adrenaline rushes, such as skydiving and racing. One of his more unconventional methods involves creating a simulated competition environment by flipping cards with his foot to represent opponent scores. In another dramatic exercise, he constructed an obstacle course involving his race car, home, and his 2012 Paralympic silver medal, shooting an arrow through these objects to reach the target.

How did he get his start?

Stutzman’s journey to becoming a Paralympic champion is as remarkable as his training techniques. Born without arms and adopted by a farming family in Fairfield, Iowa, he grew up watching his father and brother hunt with arrows. Despite not taking up archery until his late 20s in 2008, Stutzman developed a technique to shoot with his feet. He became the first para-archer to compete in compound open events without using fingers, wrists, or triceps. Since making his Paralympics debut in 2012, Stutzman has not only achieved significant success but has also inspired other para-archers with similar challenges to pursue their dreams.