T.J.

Pemberton

T.J. Pemberton is a retired Oklahoma City firefighter/paramedic. He was a competitive archer until 2002 when he was in a near fatal ATV accident in Southeast Oklahoma.

Pemberton fell 442 feet, breaking nine bones, causing nerve damage to his right leg and a spinal fracture. After his family was told he would not make it through the night, the fire department chaplain gave him last rites in the ICU. Against all odds, he woke up two days later wanting a cheeseburger and was released for six weeks of bed rest.

The next spring, he began shooting archery again, starting in a wheelchair. With the help of a new brace, Pemberton was eventually able to compete in the standing category at Paralympic archery events.

In 2005, Pemberton was named to the U.S. Paralympics IPC Archery World Championships Team and has been with the national team ever since. In 2008, Pemberton made the trip to Beijing, China, where he made his Paralympic Games debut.

Pemberton trains full-time at the University of Central Oklahoma’s official U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Site. 

Major Achievements:

• 2011: First place, Men’s Para Compound – Open – 127^th National Target Championships, Yankton, S.D.
• 2010: Ninth place, Men’s Compound – Open – AAE Arizona Cup, Phoenix, Ariz.
• 2009: U.S. Paralympics IPC Archery World Championships Team member
• 2008: U.S. Paralympic Team member, Archery - Beijing, China
• 2007: 13^th place, Open Compound - IPC Archery World Championships, Cheongju, Korea
• 2007: U.S. Paralympics IPC Archery World Championships Team member
• 2006: Second place, AR Open Compound - National Archery Association Nationals, Colorado Springs, Colo.
• 2005: Second place, AR Open Compound - National Archery Association Nationals, Colorado Springs, Colo.
• 2005: U.S. Paralympics IPC Archery World Championships Team member