Pace, Darrell O.

Archery

b. Oct. 23, 1956, Cincinnati, OH

When he was 13½ years old, Pace bought an archery set with a coupon that entitled him to one free lesson. He kept on paying for more lessons and, when he was 16, he became the youngest member of the U. S. team at the world championships, where he finished twenty-third.

Pace went on to win four consecutive national archery championships, from 1973 through 1976. He also won the title in 1978 and 1980. He won the world title in 1975 and 1979 and finished second to long-time rival Rick McKinney in 1977 and 1983.

After winning an Olympic gold medal in 1976, Pace was selected for the 1980 Olympic team, but the U. S. boycotted the Moscow Games that year because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In 1984, he took a 13-point lead after the first day of the four-day competition and won an easy victory.