J Mize

Jonathan Mize

Athlete Bio#

Age

44

Hometown

Muncie

Jonathon Mize has always been an active person and has never let anything hold him back. In 2007 the IBO World Championships were being held 20 minutes from his house, so he decided to go and qualify at a local archery club in order to be able to compete in the event. When August came around, he showed up with his hunting bow set-up and placed fifth in his division. That same weekend he bought his first target bow and decided that Archery was something that he wanted to compete in and take his game to the very top.

Growing up, Mize raced motocross competitively throughout Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. On November 1, 1999, at the age of 19, he had a motocross accident that resulted in two broken vertebrates. He came over a 25 foot double jump and over shot it, he couldn’t slow down in time for the next obstacle and flipped over the handle bars. The bike then landed on his back, breaking it in two places and causing paralysis below the waist.

Mize chose archery because it is something that he has always had a passion for. As a kid he grew up hunting with his dad, who also taught him at a young age how to shoot a bow. He also loves the competitiveness of the sport and at this level of archery, he says that it is a great feeling to be able to compete internationally and represent the USA all across the world.

Mize has his eyes set on the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. He is preparing for the Games by having a regular practice routine along with a cardio and weight training program. He said, “Making the U.S. Paralympic Team and competing in the London 2012 Games is my main goal, all the competitions and training I’m currently participating in is for this sole purpose. It would mean a lot to me because I know it is the highest level of competition that I can take my archery game to. I want to be able to represent the United States of America and make our country proud with my results. Competing in the Paralympic Games is something I have wanted to do since my accident in 1999.”

Mize graduated from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana where he majored in sport administration and had a minor in marketing. He said, “My hopes for the future are to continue to compete in archery at the Paralympic level and to bring home a gold medal for our country. I would like to set a world record and go on to compete in the 2016 Games in Rio also. I recently got engaged and look forward to starting a family in the near future.”

Major Achievements:

  • 2010: First place, para men’s open compound; second place, men’s compound team round – So Cal Shootout, Chula Vista, California
  • 2010: Fourth place – European Grand Prix, Stoke Mandeville, England
  • 2010: Fourth place, para men’s open compound – Arizona Cup, Phoenix, Arizona
  • 2010: First place – Georgia Cup, Conyers, Georgia
  • 2010: First place; 70m state record – Northern Regional & Indian State FITA Outdoor, Rensselaer, Indiana
  • 2009: Fourth place – Para Archer World Championships, Czech Republic
  • 2009: U.S. Paralympics National Archery Team member
World Championships Experience
  • Most recent: 2009 – 4th (Individual Compound Open - Men), 7th (Team Compound Open - Men)
  • Years of participation: Individual Compound Open - Men 2009; Team Compound Open - Men 2009
  • Top finish: 4th – 2009 (Individual Compound Open - Men)

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