Jono Milne hits bullseye for NSWIS archery

New South Wales Institute of Sport Scholarship athlete Jonathon ‘Jono’ Milne’s effort to win a bronze World Para Archery Championships in the Czech Republic over the weekend has been hailed as an important performance marker for the NSWIS Archery program.

NSWIS’s Senior Coordinator – Archery, Mark Wilson said there was plenty to take from Milne’s effort to defeat Belgium’s Piotr Van Montagu in the ancient city of Pilsen.

“Jono’s’ performance shows that he’s on the right track,” said Wilson. “Without a doubt he would have wanted to win the event, but he should take absolute confidence that he can mix it with the world’s best.

“The other benefit from this competition is the international exposure the group gained, that’s something we haven’t been able to get much of this year. So, for Jono to be able to go away and medal and others to have the opportunity to compete at a high pressure international event is a genuine positive.”

Wilson said the podium performance would be a boost for NSWIS’s Para and Able bodied programs.

“We talk at NSWIS about being world’s best,” said Wilson. “And with Jono’s presence – he’s a positive force at the best of times – but to have a World Championships medal on top of his [Paralympic bronze is an objective measure that we can build on.”

Before leaving for the Czech Republic, 37-year-old Milne revealed that in his pursuit of excellence he shoots over 52,000 arrows a year.

“The way it is, you could get the world’s top 15, run the competition 15 days in a row but have a different winner every day,” said Milne. “We all shoot the same score, but it just comes down to that one arrow if you win or lose.

“You have to be perfect . . .  you can’t have that one slip up. You can very rarely make a mistake and have a win. You know you need to be perfect, and yet sometimes you can do everything right and still lose. But it’s not just about the win. I like being out there and I enjoy doing it.”

Daniel Lane, NSWIS

Photo courtesy of World Archery