Olympics: Flint’s Mackenzie Brown advances in archery

Published 1:48 pm Wednesday, July 28, 2021

The American archery team was on target on Wednesday in Tokyo, including East Texan Mackenzie Brown.

The Flint resident won two matches in the women’s individual competition at Yumenoshima Park Archery Field to advance to the Round of 16.

Brown, the No. 5 seed, rallied to win her first round match over Germany’s Charline Schwartz, the No. 60 seed, 6-2 (24-27, 27-21, 29-24, 27-22).

“It was a good day,” Brown said. “I feel really good, I feel like what my focus is on really helps in this finals field and I think that will help me going into these next matches. I’m really happy I stuck to what I was supposed to do and didn’t get too caught up in the rest of the competition. It gives me good confidence.”

In the second round, Brown knocked off China’s Long Xiaoqing, the No. 28 seed, 6-0 (27-22, 27-26, 29-28).

Brown will play in the Round of 16 on Friday.

In the men’s competition, four-time Olympian Brady Ellison of the USA advanced.

“We made a small form change, an adjustment to my finger tab, which I think really helped,” Ellison said, “and then Butch (Johnson) actually texted me today and said that he saw something, so I made sure to watch out for that and I think just everyone helping out, I felt pretty good today, I felt calm. First (time) I’ve been in the Olympic finals had felt no nerves so I’m feeling pretty feisty.”

Ellison was on point, getting back-to-back 6-0 shut outs, never opening the door for his opponents to gain on him.

Ellison, the No. 2 seed, defeated Milad Vaziri Teymoorlooei, the No. 63 of Iran, 28-24, 28-24, 28-26, in the first round, followed by knocking off Pravin Jadhav, the No. 31 seed of India, 28-27, 27-26, 26-23. Ellison is scheduled to play in the Round of 16 on Friday.