Janice Walth, of Lodi, practices her archery at Kofu Park in Lodi recently. A competitive archer for four years, Walth will compete in the IPC Archery World Championships in Cheongju, Korea, in October. (Angelina Gervasi/News-Sentinel)

Olympic dreams

Lodi's blind archer shooting for 2012 Games

Lodi's Janice Walth is the only known blind archer competing in the United States.

But when she heads to Korea in October for the IPC Archery World Championships, she'll hope to bring back something more than a first-place finish.

"I think when I come back, I can really promote visually impaired archery with some legitimacy," Walth said

Unlike the U.S., Walth says, visually impaired archery has become popular in other parts of the world, such as Korea, which fields an entire team.

At this year's archery championships, the visually impaired event will only be exhibition status, but it's likely to become part of the 2012 Paralympics in London.

And that's a big part of why Walth is exicted to attend the games, as she'll get the opportunity to discuss the future inclusion of blind archery in the Paralympics, something in which she certainly hopes to compete. Other events for disabled archers have been included the games, but never one for the visually impaired.

Walth's husband, Courtney, a sighted man, took up shooting when the couple first met seven years ago. She'd join Courtney and the Lodi Bowsman as they shot at the Grape Festival Grounds, but it wasn't until three years later they figured out a way she could shoot, too.

The technique — mastered by British Blind Sport, an organization in the UK that coordinates sports for the visually impaired — requires the use of a tripod, an adjustable bowsight and a laser pointer to align the tripod with its target.

On this Thursday afternoon, Janice Walth has her bow steadied, her arrow drawn back and — fwop!

"Yellow! 8 o'clock!" Courtney says, describing the location of his wife's arrow.

Courtney Walth will accompany his wife to Korea as her coach and spotter, though the couple needs $6,000 to pay for the trip to Korea.

"I have to pay my own way because it's exhibition status," Janice Walth said.

Walth has been doing fundraising to raise the money for the VI Archer Foundation. To offer donations, e-mail Janice Walth at viarchery@softcom.net.