Adding a new string to my bow didn't help me impress the 'boss'

1/2

13 April 2012

What strikes you first about an Olympic archery field is the sheer size of it. With 70 metres between the shooting line and the 122cm-wide 'boss', as the target is known, it's almost the length of five London buses.

Robin Hood may have made firing arrows around Sherwood Forest look simple but archery - my next Olympic challenge - is clearly going to be more difficult than I'd anticipated.

"People are always surprised by how strong you have to be in order to shoot to reach the target," says 24 year-old Amy Oliver, Visa Team 2012, who is hoping to be selected for Team GB next year.

The early competition rounds at the London 2012 archery venue, Lord's Cricket Ground, will require competitors to shoot 72 arrows in 12 rounds of six, each of which must be completed within four minutes. There will then follow a series of knockout rounds until the two finalists compete head-to-head for the gold medal.

To supplement seven hours of shooting practice three days a week at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire, Oliver spends a couple more hours in the gym. Under the guidance of a strength and conditioning coach, she completes exercises such as shoulder presses and tricep extensions, lifting up to 10kg in three sets of six repetitions to build up the muscles in her arms and upper back that she uses when shooting.

Given that her bow weighs around 35lbs and that she's been competing for almost eight years, her right shoulder has to be one of the hardest working in Olympic sport.

With grandparents for archers and a mother and father who met competing for the national squad, there was always a strong chance that Oliver would take up what is generally considered to be an unusual sport.

Having shot her first arrow at the age of six, it was at 16 that she fell in love with the sport - and two years later was selected for the GB World Championship 2006 Field Archery team.

"Archery is incredibly addictive," says Oliver. "Before I've even released the arrow from the bow, I get a sense for when a shot is going to be good. As I watch it travel through the air and reach the centre of the target, I get a huge adrenaline rush knowing I've achieved perfection. Once you've done that once, you want to replicate it over and over."

Which is exactly what she attempts to do on the two days a week she's not at Lilleshall and instead trains from her home in Rotherham, 90 miles away. Her father, Neil, has set up a room in the house complete with a blank target and video cameras. Oliver will spend up to seven hours aiming, shooting and then watching herself back on the video to analyse every minuscule aspect of her technique.

As she describes the elusive perfect shot, I set up my stance: feet straddling the shooting line at right angles to the direction I'm aiming, with my strongest (right) foot at the back. Holding my 20lb training bow with my left hand, I position the arrow on the rest at the front then click it on to the string at the "knocking point" at the back. In order for the arrow to be released cleanly, I must ensure that the black "fletching" (there are two other white ones) is nearest to my body.

I take aim, pull the string back to chin level with my right hand and release the arrow. It soars into the circle next to the gold centre.

But then, I'm only a paltry five metres away.

When Oliver shoots from the full distance, she's aiming for the 12.2cm-wide centre gold circle to score a maximum 10 points - the other nine rings descend by one point the further out they get.

Then there's the weather conditions to consider.

Rain will cause the arrow to drop faster, so she must compensate by aiming higher. Wind can blow it off centre, so she'll have to direct the arrow either to the right or left. If she's unlucky enough to get wind and rain next year at Lord's, she'll have to make all kinds of calculated adjustments to her technique.

"I use visualisation techniques to help me focus and dispel my nerves," explains Oliver, who sees a sports psychologist twice a month. "I imagine stepping outside my own body and seeing myself complete the perfect shot. The hope is that the body will follow what the mind sees."

Setting up my bow and arrow again, I imagine myself nailing the innermost gold circle. I get that "perhaps-it's-perfect" adrenaline rush but watch as my arrow veers off towards one of the outer rings. In reality, I have a feeling that no amount of well-wishing would ever get me in sight of the Olympic rings.

For more information on Visa's London 2012 programme visit www.visa.co.uk/goldenspace

MORE ABOUT

Nottinghamshire

Olympics

Olympic Stadium

Robin Hood

Adding a new string to my bow didn't help me impress the 'boss'

Read More