Like most teenagers competing at such a grand senior event, he had a shy, quiet, introverted character at the time, but he was certainly no deer in the headlights. He went on to win in Belek not as an archery newcomer, but as a phenom destined for the very top.
He has been at the very top for an awfully long time now, and even if Schloesser decided to hang up the bow tomorrow, his legacy would undoubtedly stand alongside the compound greats of old.
But as he reminded us all in the post-match interview, he is far from “finished”, still building that impressive résumé while continuing to develop as a person, a man and, more recently, a father, all amid his thrilling, globe-trotting archery career.
“I’m still working on building it and making it bigger, of course, but I’m still very proud of those 13 years,” he said when reflecting on himself since that magical gold in Belek. “That was kind of my first big World Archery win, and over 13 years I have had an amazing career I’m very proud of, and of course I want to do more and more.”
“I feel like I’ve been growing as a person as well. I’m helping out people and stuff like that. I really hope that I’m an inspiration to some archers and I hope that people know as well that they always can come to me for help.”
His knowledge of the compound bow is obviously something that aspiring and current elite archers would love to tap into, but as someone who has built friendships and relationships – in the case of his wife Gaby, a loving lifelong partnership – Schloesser is also a beacon to those looking to gain something more in the sport than medals and glory.
Compound competition in Antalya is now concluded, with recurve finals set for Sunday, beginning in the morning with the team gold medal matches.
