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Emmett Kapaniuk, 16, of Whitehorse has been selected to compete in the 2022 Youth and Masters Pan Am Championships (YMPAC).

The Championships take place May 30 to June 5 in Halifax.

Athletes from countries across North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean will take part.

Kapaniuk will be competing in the Compound Cadet U18 Class.

鈥淚 was pretty surprised when I was selected just cause I was selected later ... it feels really good to go down there and represent Team Canada and also represent the Yukon,鈥� said the young archer.

Kapaniuk explained how this came about.

鈥淎round November they announced that they were going to hold tryouts for this event down in P.E.I. so I spent December onward until March training here at the horse stable arena.鈥�

The arena is the Northern Tempo Equestrian Centre, which is off Burma Road, along the Klondike Highway.

鈥淲e were able to shoot in there throughout the winter, cause when it鈥檚 -40C out, it鈥檚 not very enjoyable shooting in the snow with all-metal bows and stuff. So it鈥檚 really nice to be able to shoot in there,鈥� recalled Kapaniuk.

鈥淎nd from there I flew down to P.E.I. where the tryouts were being held and performed there and then about two weeks later, I was informed that I was selected and that I鈥檇 be flying down to Halifax later this month to go compete for them.鈥�

Kapaniuk is ready for the competition.

鈥淚鈥檓 feeling good about it. I鈥檓 feeling good about my equipment and my shooting. The nerves haven鈥檛 quite set in yet. Hopefully they won鈥檛 ... I鈥檓 feeling good going down there ... the trials was my first big one to get the nerves out of the way and find what needs to be improved upon, so we鈥檝e just been working on that, so we鈥檙e dialed for when we go down to Halifax.鈥�

Kapaniuk has a method for dealing with nerves.

鈥淚鈥檓 a big music guy. Most of the time I do well when I鈥檓 distracting myself so I鈥檒l keep myself busy. And then usually I have a set playlist that I listen to ... that always gets me in the right mindset, gets me into the zone.

鈥淛ust try my best to not overthink it or go there with high expectations or over-expect how I鈥檓 gonna perform. Just go down there and remember that for this one, it鈥檚 my first international competition so I鈥檓 down there for the experience and if I do good, that鈥檚 good. If not, I鈥檝e got lots to take away from it.鈥�

Kapaniuk hasn鈥檛 had very many events to prep for this competition.

鈥淥nly the tryouts,鈥� he said.

鈥淭he last competition I shot at outside the Yukon was 2019 Nationals, so it鈥檚 been a long time since I鈥檝e actually competed in a tournament.鈥�

The 2019 Outdoor Nationals were in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

As for his goal at the event, 鈥済et experience ... learn how the international competitions work and then I鈥檓 hoping to place top six, which would be a really good finish. I feel like that鈥檚 reasonable with who will be down there,鈥� related Kapaniuk.

Next up after the Pan Am Championships is the Canadian Nationals.

鈥淲e鈥檒l fly back and keep on working on the 50 metre, because I鈥檒l be down back in P.E.I. for Nationals.鈥�

The Canadian Nationals take place July 21-24 in Charlottetown.

The length that Kapaniuk shoots is 50 metres.

鈥淔or compound that鈥檚 the standard. That鈥檚 all international is, is 50 metres,鈥� related Kapaniuk.

鈥淎nd then for recurved ... once you get to my age group, they shoot 60 metres. And then for the junior and up 鈥� the older group 鈥� they shoot 70 metres,鈥� he added.

Recurves are more of a standard bow with sites and rods and are used at events like the Olympics.

How long it takes the arrow to arrive at the target depends on a few factors.

鈥淒epends on the bow,鈥� said Kapaniuk.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e shooting super-high pounds, it鈥檒l probably get there in a second. Mine鈥檚 probably second and a half, two seconds. The recurves can take three or four seconds in the air to go down to 70 metres.鈥�

Kapaniuk leaves for the Pan Am Championships in Halifax on Monday.