Doris Jones (archer)

Lore & Background

Jones took up archery at age four and quickly rose through the ranks. In 2003, she won gold at the Canada Winter Games in Bathurst-Campbellton, New Brunswick. The following year, the Canadian Archery Association named her Junior Female Athlete of the Year. In 2006, she won the Tom Longboat Award as Canada's top Aboriginal female athlete, took gold at the World Archery Festival in Las Vegas in February, and won the world junior championship in Mérida, Mexico in October. That championship was remarkable because days before the event she was in an automobile accident in Mexico that broke the thumb on her shooting hand. She wore a metal brace but removed it for competition, refused painkillers to avoid a positive drug test, and won despite the injury. At the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, she won two silver medals in the women's individual compound bow event, competing while suffering an inner ear infection. In the quarterfinals she defeated Janette Howells of Wales 6–0, in the semifinals she beat Cassie McCall of Australia 7–3, and in the final she lost 4–6 to Nicky Hunt of England.

Reader's Guide

After the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Jones could not continue her archery career due to a lack of funding. The cost of travel and the absence of support or sponsorships made it difficult to compete further. Her career, though cut short, included three world championships, multiple Canadian and world records, and a junior world title won under extraordinary circumstances. She remains active with the Manitoba Metis Federation, reflecting her ongoing connection to her Métis heritage. Her achievements earned her recognition as a female finalist for the 2010 Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association award. Jones's story illustrates both the heights an athlete can reach with talent and determination and the barriers that can arise when financial support is unavailable.

Did You Know?

• Jones won the 2006 junior world championship with a broken thumb held in a metal brace.
• She refused painkillers during the 2006 junior worlds to avoid a positive drug test.
• At the 2010 Commonwealth Games, she competed with an inner ear infection and won two silver medals.
• She received the Tom Longboat Award in 2006 as Canada's top Aboriginal female athlete.