Residents win medals in archery

DOWNEY - Two Downey residents earned medals in archery at the California State Games held last month in Chula Vista.Downey residents John Gambos won the silver and Dave Stevens the bronze in the Men's Senior Division (ages 50-59). The competition was open to all archers who were placed in divisions according to age. The competition was held at the same archery center where U.S. Olympic archers trained before heading to London. The gold medal went to Oracio Cristanto - not a Downey resident - who is a longtime archer with many state championships and records under his belt. The California State Games were organized Olympic-style, with sports ranging from archery to water polo. Like the Olympics, the events were held at many venues throughout the San Diego area, with opening ceremonies at Qualcomm Stadium. Athletes entered the stadium escorted by local cheerleaders. After all athletes finished their showcase parade, athletes and fans were treated to two parachutists displaying American flags as they landed on the field. The opening ceremony ended with dancing, a martial arts exhibition and a fireworks display. Archery is a sport suitable for people of all ages - in fact, Stevens didn't start shooting seriously until he was over 50 years old. El Dorado Archers, located at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, offers free lessons (equipment included) on most Saturday mornings. For more information, go to eldoradoarchers.com. Like the state games, El Dorado Archers is run by volunteers and funded entirely through charitable donations.

********** Published: August 09, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 17