Matt Stutzman's achievements have inspired other armless athletes to pursue archery as well.

 The four-time Paralympian has earned a silver medal and set multiple records. His achievements have inspired other armless athletes to pursue archery as well.

**Archery: Matt Stutzman, the 'Armless Archer,' Competes Among Top Athletes in Tokyo**

Amid a lineup of outstretched arms and bows in the Paralympic men’s individual compound para archery competition, Matt Stutzman stands out—not by his arms, but by his outstretched leg.

Stutzman, 41, from Fairfield, Iowa, has long been the Paralympics’ only armless archer. However, he has become a trailblazer, inspiring more and more armless athletes to take up the sport.

This year in Paris, three other archers without arms are competing alongside him: Piotr Van Montagu of Belgium, a fellow Paralympian from the last Games; Víctor Sardina Viveros of Mexico; and Sheetal Devi of India, the only female armless competitor.

Devi and Van Montagu are just two of many armless athletes whom Stutzman has mentored in archery. His impact extends beyond direct mentorship; many others have been inspired to try archery because of him.

“After the Rio Games in 2016, I started receiving inquiries from other people around the world with no arms,” Stutzman shared. “That’s when I realized it was bigger than just shooting a bow—it’s about helping other people.”

A four-time Paralympian and silver medalist, Stutzman broke a world record in 2015 for the farthest accurate archery shot with a compound bow, hitting a target from 310 yards—regardless of disability. He regularly competes against non-disabled archers and believes the strength of his legs gives him an edge. “I can aim and hold steadier for longer periods than people with arms,” he explained.

To load an arrow, Stutzman grips his bow between two toes on his right foot, extending his leg to draw it back. With remarkable steadiness—no shake or waver—he holds his position, then releases the arrow using a release aid activated by a combination of leaning back and applying chin pressure. The arrow flies out with a soft swish before striking the target.

Learning archery without anyone to look up to

Born without arms, Stutzman was encouraged by his parents to find his own way. He adapted by using his feet for everything—from tying his shoes to typing and even driving a car.

Despite his abilities, Stutzman faced challenges in finding employment due to the stigma surrounding his visible disability. In 2010, he saw archery on TV and was inspired to give it a try.

“My mind just decided, ‘This is it. You’re going to get a bow and put food on the table. This is how you’ll provide for your family,’” he recalled. “Because a bow doesn’t care who shoots it.”

However, with no role models or examples to follow, he had to teach himself how to shoot. He began by imitating professional archers he watched in online videos and developed a technique that worked for him.

Within a month, he felt confident enough to enter an archery competition, where he finished in the top two. Less than two years later, he qualified to compete in the 2012 Paralympics.

“At that point, I had been hearing ‘you can’t’ for so long because of how I looked,” he said. “But with archery, I finally found something where no one could tell me ‘No.’ I knew right then, ‘This is it, this is what I’m meant to do.’”

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