Meet Jason Tabansky

From last-minute call-up… to Paralympic gold. Jason Tabansky didn’t come to Paris to take pictures.

When he joined Hyperformance Foundation’s Serve Program through our Sports Ambassador initiative, he made one thing clear: if he ever earned a shot at representing the United States, he would show up ready—not just to compete, but to win.

Hyperformance believed in him from the start. We supported his journey with training and competition grants, invested in his development, and walked alongside him as he climbed the global rankings in Para Archery.

But even with all the training, all the preparation, and all the heart—Jason still wasn’t selected for the initial Paris 2024 roster.

For most athletes, that would’ve been the end of the story.

For Jason, it was fuel.

The Last-Minute Call That Changed Everything

Shortly before the Games, a last-minute slot opened. Team USA made the call.
Jason got the tap.

And from the moment he hung up the phone, he made a promise—to himself, to his family, to Team USA, and to the team who had believed in him:

“I always told myself if he sacrificed his spot, I’m going to make it count …
I didn’t just want to take a picture to show I was here.”

That mindset would become the defining force of his Paralympic debut.

A Bracket No One Expected Him to Survive

Jason entered one of the toughest brackets of the entire Games. Opponents who had beaten him before. Matches that demanded absolute precision. Conditions that tested every archer on the line.

But something was different about Jason in Paris.

He shot with purpose.
With calm.
With conviction.
With an unmistakable, unshakeable why.

And as the rounds went on, the archery world began to realize:

Jason was not here as a replacement.
He was here as a threat.

By the time he reached the gold medal match, the arena had shifted.

Whispers — Momentum — A sense that something extraordinary was happening.

The Shot Heard Around Paris

Members of the Hyperformance Foundation team collectively held their breath as he drew his final arrow.

The air was still.
The crowd silent.
The moment frozen.

Jason released.

Dead. Center.

Gold.

Shockwaves rolled through the arena. A last-minute alternate had just taken the top of the podium—one of the most improbable, electrifying runs of Paris 2024.

Jason doesn’t even recall releasing his final shot. 

 “I don’t remember the shot. All I could think of was put the pin in the gold and punch this thing.”

He does remember the shout of joy as he turned his head to the sky, closed his eyes, and breathed. Mission accomplished. Promise fulfilled.

“After that it was just a fountain of emotions that I’ve had going through me for the last seven years.”

Medal of Ikkos – Honoring the One Who Helped Him Get There

After the podium ceremony, the Hyperformance team reunited with Jason at the Team USA House for the Medal of Ikkos presentation—one of the Olympic and Paralympic movement’s most revered traditions.

Jason placed the medal around the neck of his wife, Courtney—a competitive archer herself and his constant training partner. “I practiced at home four matches every day. That’s all I kept practicing,” said Jason, and Courtney was right there alongside him.  Courtney didn’t just support Jason’s journey- she helped build it.

Building a Legacy in San Antonio

Since returning home, Jason has done something equally remarkable:
He founded Enduring Freedom Co., an archery academy in San Antonio dedicated to teaching everyone from first-time archers to elite competitors.

Now, in partnership with Hyperformance Foundation, Jason is building intro-to-elite training pathways for veterans, first responders, Families of the Fallen, and Warrior Games and Invictus Team US athletes.

He wants more people in the sport.
More people discovering their talent.
More people finding the confidence archery gave him.

In his own words:

“I want to help bring the next generation of archers into the sport.”

And that’s exactly the kind of leader Hyperformance is proud to stand behind.

Jason’s story isn’t just a story about winning gold. It’s a story about grit, belief, opportunity, and what happens when an athlete decides that the moment won’t define them—they’ll define the moment.

Your support helps make journeys like Jason’s possible. Because of donors like you, veterans can find belonging, purpose, and the opportunity to thrive—on the water, behind the bow, and in every part of their lives.