Each month, the International World Games Association selects a successful athlete to highlight from the vast diversity of sportspeople who participate in The World Games; Archery hero Mike Schloesser (NED) is 2024’s first Athlete of the Month.
Although every athlete has a story to tell, a recent winning performance in France as well as a milestone in the Dutch archer’s career have facilitated making this decisive nomination. Schloesser, not only secured his second season win at the Indoor Archery World Series on 21 January 2024, he also in December 2023 overtook legendary Colombian compounder Sara Lopez to become the longest-tenured world Number One. Huge achievements to kick-off the year!
In addition to his prowess in Nîmes (FRA), Schloesser continued his powerful streak in Las Vegas (USA) in the ultimate leg of the Indoor Series and bagged the silver medal in the same category.
Schloesser, also known as “Mr. Perfect” in the Archery community, earned his nickname from his unwavering accuracy but also from his historical score in 2015 in a qualifying round, when he became the first-ever archer to score a maximum 600 points on the indoor 60-arrow 18-metre.
At just 30 and with three World titles on his tally, Schloesser is one of the most decorated athletes of all time. He became only the second compound man (after Morgan Lundin, Sweden) to complete the triple; World Archery, World Field and World Indoor.
At The World Games in Birmingham (USA) in 2022, the Heerlen-born athlete grabbed silver in the Compound Team Mixed event, an improved result from his 2017 debut. He had reached seventh and fifth positions in the Compound Men and Compound Team Mixed respectively in Wroclaw (POL).
Archery’s favourite first reached the World Ranking top spot in May 2015, nearly two years after he won the World Championships at just 19 years old. He has been sitting again on the top spot since 2021.
As Athlete of the Month, Mike Schloesser will be awarded a diploma and a branded gift.
More than half of the Target Archery (compound) quota places will be up for grabs through Continental Championships held in 2024 and 2025, with the first being the European Archery Championships in May in Essen, Germany. Two places per gender are reserved for the home nation (China), one able-bodied and one para, while a further one is given to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Champion. The remainder will be awarded from their positions on the world ranking list.
