Guide to Archery

The use of the bow and arrow goes back to the ancient Egyptians, but it wasn't until 1900 that Archery first appeared in the Olympics.

The 'aim' of the sport is simple - archers must hit a target consisting of five coloured rings.

The closer to the centre of the target the arrow lands, the more points are scored.

Equipment

Modern bows are made from laminations of wood with carbon fibre, fibreglass, ceramic or hard foam.

The arrows consist of a carbon or aluminium shaft with a steel head.

At the Olympics, the targets will be 122cm and 80cm in diameter and competitors must stand a distance of 70m from the target.

How to get started

If you feel inspired to take aim, the Grand Archery Society should be your first target.

Give them a ring or drop them an e-mail and they'll point you in the right direction.

The Grand National Archery Society
Lilleshall National Sports Centre
Newport
Shropshire
TF10 9AT
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Grand National Archery Society