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It has been a long season for Sarah Mitton, but one that she considers a success and a learning experience.

The 28-year-old shot putter checked some boxes with a list that includes her first world indoor title, a new personal best throw and first Diamond League title this past weekend. And although the Olympic Games in Paris did not go as planned, he learned some lessons along the way.

“I started my season in November this year competing in Pan Am. And so competing in the Pan Am Games in November and finishing in the Diamond League in September, it was just a long, long season,” said the 28-year-old from Brooklyn, NS “When you do things like that, you’ n going to have ups and downs.

“The season as a whole, … I consider it a success. Every year when we do our reflections, there’s always something new for me to add to the list of (things) I’ve never done and you know throw them further and further.

“So at the end of the day, despite my results in Paris, I think there’s a lot of learning and a lot of other things that you can still count the season as inherently positive.”

In four shortened Olympic years, Mitton had developed into one of the world’s best archers.

He won silver at the 2023 worlds after missing the podium on a breakaway in 2022. Mitton then went on to win Pan Am gold last November before winning the world indoor title in March. Her personal best of 20.68 meters on May 11 smashed her previous best of 20.33 from 2022.

At the Paris Games, she made her first Olympic final on her first qualifying throw. There was some rain the following night and Mitton went from favorite for the gold medal – after back-to-back world champion Chase Jackson of the United States missed the final – to finish 12th. She was eliminated when she failed to crack the top eight over her first three attempts with a top throw of just 17.48 metres.

Mitton was adamant about not shutting down her season after the “disappointing” show in Paris, however. He competed in three meets between August 16 and August 22 before throwing 20.25 meters to defeat Jackson for the Diamond League title last Friday.

“The learning, it happened so quickly,” Mitton said. “And I think after (the) Tokyo (Olympics), I kind of let myself stay in the stink a bit too long and it affected my performances afterwards.

“The season I had after Tokyo was one of the best of my life and if I let Paris hold me back then I’m just going to lose, all the opportunities, they’re still ahead. So I have to be, … have you watched Ted Lasso? There’s the goldfish quote where he’s like, ‘You’ve got to be a goldfish,’ and kind of forget about it and move on.”

While Mitton feels she is doing a good job of shaking off whatever is happening and moving on, the death of her father in May made that even more difficult.

Although a shot has helped her mental health, Mitton is currently enjoying time away back home and mentally regrouping.

“I remember after the Olympics just feeling this great relief,” she said. “And I thought the relief would be to win the Olympics and be an Olympic gold medalist and it felt like it all worked out.

“Even when it didn’t pan out that way, I was like despite it all, at least now I have some time to get my mental health back together, see some family, you know, take a break . … So mentally, I think I’m doing a lot better than now that the Games are over. … I feel much more relaxed.”

With a world championship and Olympic gold still on her wish list, Mitton is excited to get back to work after her break. He mentioned a foul last Friday which he says was “up in the range of 20.80 to 21 metres, something I’ve never seen in my life before.”

“I think how great it is to leave the season and be in a place mentally, you know, despite Paris, where I’m excited to get back to training,” he said.

This report was first published by The Canadian Press on September 17, 2024.