Pan American Games: Area archer brings home bronze from Argentina

Neelyville native Joshua Miller continued to represent his country recently as the archer competed in the 2023 Pan American Field Championships in Iguana,

Argentina.

It was a grueling competition with varying conditions and high temps but when the dust settled, Miller finished with a bronze medal in the men’s lowbow division.

After representing his country in Italy a few years ago, Miller said the feeling is still the same.

“It’s a whole lot of mixed emotions being able to put on a USA jersey,” he said. “It fills me with pride and joy knowing that I get to represent the greatest country in the world doing what I love.”

Miller has competed in tournament of all varieties but that week in Argentina proved a little different than most.

“It’s not your typical tournament,” he said. “These world archery tournaments allow you to shoot along side some of the world’s greatest archers. Knowing that really makes me want to do my best. When I put on that jersey it’s like a light switch being turned on to where I owe a commitment to my country to leave everything I have on the line.”

No matter where he is in life, Miller isn’t one to back down from a challenge and that’s just what he said when the opportunity presented itself to compete internationally again.

“To take on something new that I have never done before required me to create a unique schedule of training that not only involved the physical and mental parts of archery, but also learn and understand how mathematics and archery coincide with one another,” he said. “Learning how to judge targets based on size and distance along with arrow trajectory is an absolute must. Two of which I had no clue about. I spent weeks testing, writing notes, and making adjustments to create a small booklet to which I made flash cards out of - a total of 50. I would study these cards regularly so on every target, there was no guessing and I could make the best shot possible.”

The weather in Iguana is a little different than Neelyville as temperatures got up to 115.

After a wet first day and a tough second day, Miller said it was a nice relief for the final after humidity made the trek difficult for day two.

“The finals was a perfect day,” he said. “Overcast and high 80s with low wind gusts was a blessing after the days previous.”

Going to Argentina, Miller had a goal, an obvious one.

Joshua Miller said he encountered snakes, monkeys, parrots, jaguar pits and lizards that were half his size during his time in Argentina. Photo provided

He wanted to win gold but that didn’t work out. He admitted he was upset but also knew that is created an opportunity.

“I’m a man that wears my heart on my sleeve,” he said. “I set a goal out before ever setting foot on the course to settle for nothing less than gold. During the first round of eliminations, I lost. I was devastated. I felt I let myself down. But rather than dwell on it, I made a new goal right then and there, to settle for nothing less than bronze.

“It relit a fuse to stay in the game and continue to leave everything on the line. It was comforting to myself knowing that I refuse to give up when dealt bad cards. Emotions were high seeing all the cameras and all that but the moment I learned I had won after the final arrow was scored it was a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

While flight delays kept Miller away from the states a little bit longer, he’s back and even harvested a deer on Friday’s opening day.

Miller said one reason behind his drive for Argentina was the heartbreak his family went through during the competition in Italy.

“I had made the shootoffs to work my way up to a medal and hours prior to the shootoff my wife had a miscarriage,” he said. “It was devastating and the rest of the competition was a blur as I lost my first round of the shootoffs.

“I had this opportunity arise to shoot for Team USA again and I took it. To prove to myself that I can overcome anything. To turn a bad experience to a good. I will never forget my steps in Argentina as they are steps of redemption.”