Road to Paris 2024: 21-Year-Old World-Class Archer Credits Father for Inspiration in Quest to Represent Team USA At Summer Olympics

Paris 2024 is here to stay and athletes from a smorgasbord of disciplines are giving it their all to rent the air with victorious shrills. It’ll be the first Olympic experience of several athletes, some of whom have sweated blood to come this far. We see aspiring men and women across various sports donning the life motto “I always had the Olympic dream”, but not many can make it to the pole.

However, if the family extends support to nurture Olympic dreams, the kids reach the global stage despite hardships. Having said so, a new but well-known archery icon has made headlines recently. She’s simply counting the days to make her most anticipated entry in July, keeping all distractions off her mind. The bowine athlete also doffs her hat to hat to her dad simultaneously.

Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez is watering her Paris 2024 dreams

Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez, the 21-year-old sharpshooting ace who tested her skills at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, has girded up stronger to unfurl her victory flag this time. Growing up outside of Mexico City, Jennifer had tried her hands at many sports before settling for archery. But when she did, there was no looking back. NBC, the primary platform to cover the Olympic Games, had invited Jennifer Mucino-Fernandez to a one-on-one interview session. She said, “I train six days of the week, pretty much from 9 to 5 every day”. Training for the Olympics has turned into a 9-5 job for the ever-passionate aspirant. She further said, “My dad, he bought me a magazine from the Pan American Games in Mexico in Guadalajara”. 

The aforementioned statement asserts that had it not been for a magazine by her father, Fernandez wouldn’t have reached this far. Moreover, her archery instructor trained her mom to coach Fernandez, so that she was always in proximity. But that’s not all. Since she shot her shot at age 9, her journey has been smooth. But one situation had put her career in doubt.

COVID had posed a threat to extinguish her dreams

During COVID, a multitude of archery athletes have left their beloved craft on grounds of either financial inconsistencies or something else. But her parents’ support always shined through. She said, “Like, a lot of archers quit during COVID. You know, like I said to my parents, and they were like, you know, like, just finish it. Like, just finish the trails. You’re in fifth. You have a good spot. Just, I mean, you’re already there. Just finish it”. 

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As a surprise member of the US squad, she already got the taste of the Olympics. Born in Brockton, she shifted with her family with the world youth championships in 2019 approaching. To represent a diverse country like the US is a matter of pride to roster. “Our focus is to take a full team to Olympics again and hopefully bring medals back home”, said Fernandez on a mission to smash rivals and records.

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