The 2023 World Archery Youth Championships will attract in excess of 800 competitors and officials from over 60 countries to Limerick from 1st July to 9th July. Teams representing over 60 countries will travel to Limerick from all over the world. Despite ongoing hardships in their countries, Turkey and Ukraine are expected to send very large teams.
Most teams will stay in the region for 7 days providing a welcome boost to the local economy.
The Championships will be televised around the world to approx. 150 territories. YouTube clips from similar tournaments have reached over 10 million views.
It was announced in 2020 that Limerick won the bid to host the competition after beating competition from two other cities. The bid was supported by Archery Ireland, University of Limerick, Limerick Council, Failte Ireland and Shannon Region Conference & Sports Bureau and is set to become a launch pad for attracting more World Archery events to Ireland.
Speaking at the official launch and deputising for the Mayor of Limerick City & Council, Councillor Joe Pond said, “Hosting the World Archery Championships offers a unique occasion to showcase all that Limerick has to offer. This major sporting event will bring thousands of additional visitors to Limerick providing a huge benefit to the local economy, while the international broadcast will promote Limerick, a Wild Atlantic Way Gateway City, to visitors around the world. It’s fantastic to see UL hosting another world-class sporting event.”
Tournament organiser Adam Taylor said, “We hope this tournament is the beginning of a legacy of archery events being brought to Limerick. Our ambition is to make Limerick the European capital of Archery events. We are delighted to have the support of Limerick Council, UL, Failte Ireland and the Shannon Region Conference & Sports Bureau behind us to make the youth championships a truly memorable tournament as we continue to bid for a host of other World Archery events in future years.”
Speaking on behalf of UL Conference & Sports Campus, David Ward said “We are delighted to host the 2023 World Archery Youth Championships in July. Having an International Federation such as World Archery award a key event in their calendar to UL and Limerick underpins the strength of our on campus one stop shop model and the sports tourism potential of Limerick and wider Shannon Region.”
Karen Brosnahan, Shannon Region Conference & Sports Bureau, said “Hosting large, international sports events produces millions in economic impact for Limerick and underscores the importance of attracting events such as the World Archery Youth Championships here in the future. Shannon Region Conference & Sports Bureau will continue to work with our strategic partners in the region to attract this calibre of events.”
Limerick has a strong connection with archery back to when Mary Vaughan represented Ireland in the 1984 Olympics. The UL archery club is one the largest and strongest Archery clubs in Ireland and will no doubt be boosted on the back of staging this international tournament.
The World Archery Youth Championships include two age categories, Under 18 and Under 21, as well as two bow styles Recurve and Compound. The athletes will compete in individual, team and mixed team competitions.
