Last year the 20-year-old Dane took the biggest prize in compound archery in a classic shootdown. He's back in 2025 – and more confident than ever. He spoke to Vanessa Lee.
While Mathias Fullerton had produced some amazing results outdoors while still in his teens, even he didn't back himself to take the big prize here last year. "It felt kind of surreal, because you kind of come into this tournament, not thinking you're... it feels kind of impossible to win. I knew I could shoot good enough to be able to win it, but it just felt impossible.
"Growing up you always knew since you were young that Vegas is the biggest tournament. For compound shooters, winning that tournament is everything. I mean it's bigger than being world champion or anything. But it is possible if you just shoot your game. I found out last year." "I mean, it took months [to sink in]. To actually think back and think, "Oh my god, I won." That's crazy!"
How has life changed for you since that win? "I still feel like I'm that little kid from Denmark who just likes to go to tournaments and I got to win Vegas, which is absolutely insane, and now I get to do this for a living which is it's been my dream since I was a little kid. I knew I wanted to do it, but it wasn't really possible
to fully go all-in on archery." "But after Vegas everything went so fast and I'm able to do it as a full-time job now. My confidence in my shooting is also way bigger than it was last year. But I think it's important to not get your head too high, because you could think 'I can win it again easy no problem', and you might not just have your day."
"So I think coming into this year, I'm still going to take it pretty relaxed. I have no idea if I'm even going to get close to winning. I hope so. I think my shooting is good enough, but here's so much that can happen over those four days."
How do you stay in the zone? "I mean, if you have a bad day on the range, it's going to be a long 30 arrows, mentally. I think for me, shooting a lot at home and training a lot really helped me here because I know what I've done. The last thing I want to do is coming into the tournament and thinking 'oh did I do enough'. So I think training a
lot just just helps your mind overall."
Both compound winners in 2024 were from Denmark – what's going on there? "The odds of that are nonexistent, pretty much. And Stephan Hansen comes in second. What are the chances? There are so few archers in Denmark compared to the States or Asia. I don't know what the secret is, I guess just we're pretty determined in Denmark, and we have a good work ethic. And then I think over the years we've created a good 'fundamental elite' - we talk a lot, we help each other."
"I used to look up to Stephan when I was younger, it was so cool to me that he shot full time and shot tournaments and it was just like seeing your dream in another person."
"But I still feel like I'm just that kid from Denmark. Why would people look at me that way? I'm just like them, you know? But it's cool. I mean, I want everyone to experience that one time in their life. It's amazing."
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