The Next Katniss?

Above: Khloe placed third at the JOAD Target Nationals in New Mexico in July and is pictured accepting her award. 

By R.J. Cohn

Shooting 200 arrows a day paid off for Khloe Markle.

Sierra Vista’s 15-year-old sharpshooter blessed with an uncanny ability for hitting the center of a target with a compound bow helped Team USA win a coveted gold medal at the 2025 Youth World Archery Championships in Winnipeg, Canada in August.

The youngest member of the three-female, U18 Women’s Compound Division team, Markle did it in spectacular fashion. 

The last archer to shoot in a nailbiter final, in which Team USA trailed Chinese Taipei early by a 2-point deficit, Markle needed to score at least an 8 to win the gold. 

Unphased by 24-mile-per-hour winds, falling rain and qualifying rounds among the best young archers in the world, Markle took aim with her compound bow. 

And as quick as a hiccup, she fired a carbon-wrapped aluminum arrow through the center X of the target, a 10-point shot that sealed the victory at the biggest event in World Archery that showcased 489 athletes from 53 countries.

There was just one little hitch.

“We didn’t know that we won even after my shot,” said Markle, an ASU Prep Digital Academy freshman just two years out of braces. “It wasn’t until our coach came and told us a few minutes later that we did. Then we were hugging and high-fiving each other. It was pretty cool.”

She also took fifth place honors in the individual compound division and has established herself as one of America’s most talented young archers.

Despite a three-day opening delay caused by an Air Canada strike that forced some teams to take buses from Toronto and Vancouver, Markle and Team USA came roaring out of the box, quickly positioning themselves as the frontrunner in the opening round. They placed first ahead of China, India, Canada, Poland, Germany, Mexico, Italy & Australia.

“We were doing great, beating the world record at that point,” she said. “But that was before the winds came up and were really whipping. Winds coming at you like that really affects the flight of your arrow big time. It even knocked the tent down where the judges were gathered.”

Like an outfielder gauging wind direction by watching the way flags are blowing, Makle quickly made a similar observation on-the-fly.

“There were windsocks all around, and I was able to figure out what kind of adjustments I had to make by seeing how they were blowing,” she said. “It worked out okay.”

So did the semi-final round against Mexico, another nailbiter that came down to a shoot-off after both teams shot an identical score. But when Team USA’s arrow came closer to the center of the target in the shoot-off, it vaulted them into the finals and a chance for a gold medal.

Markle’s final shot that pierced the center X took Team USA to the top of the podium.

“She loves that kind of pressure, almost thrives on it,” said her mother, Jessika Peer-Markle. “She really likes being on the edge, especially when everything is on the line.”

Winning a spot on Team USA was hardly a cakewalk. Markle went head-to-head with top-level competition against the best female archers under 18 from around the country, beating the best of the best at the World Archery Youth Trials in Newberry, Florida.

But Markle has gone toe-to-toe with tougher and sometimes more debilitating competition than archers.

Diagnosed with epilepsy five years ago after her mother found her collapsed on a bathroom floor following a grand mal seizure, she’s been taking anti-seizure medication since 2011. The National Institute of Health says nearly 3 million Americans have epilepsy, and 450,000 of them are under 17. Tucson neurologist Dr. David Labiner who specializes in epilepsy and seizure disorders, says 77,000 people in Arizona have epilepsy.

“Before the grand mal seizure, I noticed she was staring blankly, would forget what we were talking about and was sleeping a lot,” said her mom. “A neurologist who began treating her said she had 15 'absence' seizures in 43 minutes."

It took such a toll on her that her archery scores dropped 100 points. Her mother said it took her close to 1 ½ years to recover. 

“It took that long for her to regain and rebuild her cognitive skills,” said her mom. “A grand mal seizure is like running a marathon in a minute. That’s the kind of toll it puts on the body.”

But a high-protein diet and a broad range of meds has Markle’s epilepsy under control..She now has her eye on trying for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Archery team in 2028.

“All my hard work paid off and helped us win the gold,” she said. “I just wanted to get my team on the podium, and when I heard them play The Star-Spangled Banner, that was really a thrill.”

Above, SSVEC Chief Executive Officer Jason Bowling (left) presents a sponsorship check to Khloe (center) with Cory East, Vice President of Member Engagement. 

Khloe Markel continues earning honors and preparing for international competition. 

As previously noted, Khloe was prepared for the 2025 World Archery Youth Championships in Winnipeg, Canada, in August. Markle beat the best of the best at the World Archery Youth Trials in Newberry, Florida in April to represent Team USA at the championship.