He’s only 15 years old, but Keegan Crawford is already a veteran on P.E.I.’s Canada Games archery team.
Crawford began shooting arrows when he was six, and was only 11 when he competed within the 2019 Canada Games in Red Deer, Alta.
Now he’ll be aiming for medal in his home province when the archery competition gets underway this week.
“I feel prefer it’s sort of that very same old thing, home-turf advantage, home-team advantage,” he said.
“I’ve shot with a variety of the athletes that I will be shooting with here, so I do know them and I may need even slightly little bit of a bonus against them, just sort of neat to be at your individual range.”
So much has modified within the 4 years because the last Canada Winter Games. Not only has the game grown — there are about 250 energetic members on P.E.I. — but Keegan has grown, and never just in size.
“When it comes to physical growth, he’s twice as big,” said his father, Duncan Crawford, who’s president of the P.E.I. Archery Association. “Competitive and social, huge gains as well.”
Duncan Crawford said Keegan was on the Pan Am Youth team this yr and finished fourth internationally.
Keegan is trying out for the World Youth Championships in Ireland this yr.
But this week, he’s setting his sights on a medal on the Canada Games.
P.E.I. won silver in 2019
Keegan’s teammate, Kristen Arsenault, won a silver medal 4 years ago.
She’s not on the team this yr, but Duncan Crawford said the medal brought a variety of awareness to the game on P.E.I., and hopes this yr’s team does the identical.
“Archery is a funny thing,” said Duncan Crawford. “You’ll be able to show up and shoot an absolute personal best and finish in the midst of the pack and that is an enormous victory. The opposite side of that’s you might have a terrible day and win the event.”
Keegan may have loads of family support. His mother, Karla, is the team manager and 12-year-old sister, Avery, can be a competitor.
“We’re passionate promoters of the game of archery and all of us participate and compete,” said Duncan Crawford. “It’s a part of who we’re, it’s a part of our family fabric.”
The opposite members of P.E.I.’s archery team are Isabella Doucette, 14, and Arden Hopkin, 15. All 4 team members are eligible to compete at the following Canada Games in 4 years.