Kevin Evans, a 61-year-old Canadian archer, has officially announced his retirement from the sport. After years of competing at the highest level, Evans is stepping back to make way for younger archers and spend more time with his grandchildren.
Evans is most well-known for his gold medal wins at the World Archery Para Championships in 2007 and 2009, as well as at the Guadalajara 2022 Para Pan American Games in the compound men’s category. When asked about his decision to retire, Evans explained that he is getting older and wants to focus on other things in life.
In addition to age, Evans cited a couple of injuries that set him back and made it difficult for him to stay fit and prepared for competition as contributing factors to his retirement. If he felt there was no hope of winning a medal, it didn’t make sense for him to continue competing at a high level. Despite retiring from competitive archery, Evans will still be involved in the sport as a development coach for Canada at the 2024 Pan American Para Championships in Sao Paulo.
Having previously coached both able-bodied and para archers at local clubs near his home in British Columbia, Evans emphasized the importance of helping the next generation of Canadian archers. He explained that recruitment has been a challenge in Canada and that he wants to ensure that all the work he has put into the sport does not go to waste. His primary goal is to provide support to the para team and assist in any way possible during the upcoming championships in Brazil.
