World Archery Fiji Will Still Host

World Archery Fiji has confirmed that they will still host the 2020 World Archery Oceania Championships which is also an Olympic qualifier, to be held next year on a date that they will confirm in the next few months.

World Archery has pushed back four Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifiers to 2021 and confirmed it will not hold any events offering places at the Games this year.

The worldwide governing body has published its revised qualification system for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, postponed until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Continental Qualifiers Tournament (CQT) in the Americas, Europe and Oceania, which had been scheduled for this year before being cancelled in response to the COVID-19 crisis, have been penciled in for the spring and summer of 2021.

World Archery Fiji President George Fong said the Oceania Olympic CQT will still be held in Fiji as part of the 2020 World Archery Oceania Championships, which have been postponed to next year.

"We are currently looking at a date in March or April 2021 to hold the Championships but the exact date will be confirmed in the next couple of months," he said.

George said at the moment their main concern was staying motivated which is proving to be difficult during this period.

"Keeping motivated is a challenge, as well as adapting to facilities being closed.

"World Archery Fiji is looking forward to getting clearance from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Sports so we can reopen our range for training," he said.

World Archery has extended the period in which athletes can shoot minimum qualifying scores until June 28 2021.

The organisation said 87 of the 128 archery quotas for Tokyo 2020 had been filled, and that all places already qualified would remain with the nation which secured the berth at the Games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said athletes who have qualified for Tokyo 2020 will retain their places for the rescheduled Games, now  to be held between July 23 and August 8 2021.

World Archery also made the announcement earlier this month that along with the Foundation for Global Sports Development a relief fund was launched for international athletes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

George said they were aware of the relief fund.

"Applications are made on an individual basis directly to the Committee appointed by the World body, with the Association providing information that is needed by the archer regarding income and grant funding," he said.

A total of $150,000 has been offered to archers who have lost income due to the crisis, with individual grants available up to $7,500.

Meanwhile IOC Scholarship recipient and Olympian Robert Elder has returned from the Philippines training camp and completed his quarantine in Melbourne.

"His training is being monitored by our Section Manager, who is providing updates to the Executive," George said.

Both Robert and George are vying for an opportunity to represent Fiji at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.

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