Salina 8th Grader Wins National Archery Championship

An eighth grader from Salina just won a national archery championship in Kentucky.

With arrow after arrow, Remington McWhirt isn't straying very far from the middle of his target.

"If you do everything the exact same, that should put you in the yellow, just like that," said Remington as he lined up a shot.

It's those skills that led him to win state this year, and even the middle school national archery championship.

"Oh, it was the best feeling in the world, walking up on that stage was the best feeling I've ever felt in the entire world," he said.

Remington said his friends back home couldn't believe it. "They said, 'there's no way you just won that.' I said, 'Yeah I just won nationals,'" recalled Remington.

He was even recognized by Salina Mayor Randall Plumlee.

"To have someone so talented be part of our school system and our town, it's pretty exciting to see them thrive like they are," Plumlee said.

Plumlee said it's impressive to see a young person put in so much hard work and watch it pay off.

With a national championship win under his belt, Remington is headed to South Carolina this summer to compete against students from all over the world.

"People from Canada, Virgin Islands," said Remington.

His mom, Nicole McWhirt, said she had to miss the national tournament, but won't miss his trip to Myrtle Beach in June.

"It was killing me because I wasn't in Kentucky. I've been at almost all of his archery tournaments and it killed me that he was there and I wasn't there with him," said Nicole.

Getting there isn't cheap though, so they're raising money for the trip, asking a community to support a small-town boy making big waves.

"I'm planning to win worlds too," said Remington.