I heard some exciting news about you being selected for the National Squad for archery!
Yes, I got selected a couple of weeks ago for the World Class Programme. There are ten of us in total, and that’s the National Squad; five girls and five guys. That’s with the aim of three girls and three guys of the group going to the Olympics in LA. I’ve been competing for Team GB Juniors since 2023. I went to Worlds, which was my first International, but I’m progressing from Juniors to Seniors, which will open up more opportunities to go to different places and compete.
How did you get into archery?
I was about ten, and they had one of those “have a go at archery” activities in a public park, so I did. My parents were sitting somewhere on a bench, and the instructor went and told them: “She’s quite good. You should go and get her in a club!” So, we did and it kind of went from there.
What is the training like for archery and where do you practise?
Archery is the art of repetition. It’s very much what you’d expect, just a lot of doing the same thing over and over again. I go to the gym three times a week, which is partly for archery but also because I enjoy it; and lots of shooting, sometimes with other people, sometimes by myself.
I used to practise at Guildford Archery Club, which is a 24-hour range, so I could just go and shoot whenever. But now, I’m having to move to Shropshire, so I train at Lilleshall Hall National Sports Centre. I’m living part of the time there and part of the time here; doing school here and training there, so, that’s a lot of driving.
What competitions have you participated in so far?
Internationally, I competed in the World Archery Championships 2023, then the European Youth Cup, and the European Youth Championships in 2024. I also took part in Veronica’s Cup, which is a competition in Slovenia, so, I’ve been to Ireland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Romania, as well as national competitions. Those are more frequent and slightly less exciting, as you’re not getting on a plane!
Do you quite enjoy the travelling aspect of competing then?
Yeah, I love it. The fact that I can travel and it’s not just me going on holiday, it’s me actually going to do something. I love that side of it. Archery is big in Turkey, so I think I’ll probably end up there at some point. For Junior trips, there’s another one in Slovenia, which is my favourite country so far. It’s so pretty. There’s also one in Canada that would be cool. I’ve never left Europe, so that would be exciting.
How do you balance College work and archery training?
It’s just time management really. My teachers have been very nice and understanding when I’m struggling with deadlines. Sometimes I imagine what it would be like to wake up on a Saturday and think “what shall I do today?” I just don’t have that kind of free time, but I prefer it this way as I feel like I’m working towards something. I also work part time, because archery is quite expensive, but I’m getting funding now. It’s limited, but enough to pay rent.
What career aspirations do you have after college, and what’s next, in term of competing?
Obviously, archery is the career for now, but that’s not going to last forever. So, I think I want to become a personal trainer and potentially create my own business. If I go to the Olympics, then that will help with the branding, as it will all link in.
My next competition is the National Tour, which is the first of a five-leg competition, with a final at the end of the year. Last year I came 13th, and you have to be in the top 8 for the finals, so, I’m closer, and thinking “come on, let’s do it this year!”
Once I’ve finished my A Levels, I’ll be a funded athlete and have a job on the side, which means I’ll be able to go to self-funded competitions.
What would you say has been your greatest achievement to date?
I think achievements on paper and achievements that mean something to me are different. So, what would look really good on paper is that I received a silver medal at Veronica’s last year, which is an “international” medal. I wasn’t competing for Team GB at the time, but it was in a different country. I also ranked tenth nationally in Seniors last year, which probably doesn’t sound as good, but to me, a Seniors achievement means more, because it’s progression towards what I really want to be doing.
For anyone aspiring to get into archery, what insight do you have about the sport?
I think that when you first start archery, you get taken down the route of club archery, where you’re just doing it for fun, which is great, but if you want to take it further, it’s hard to get access to the bigger competitions. The coaches at club level won’t necessarily progress you. However, there’s another more competitive side to archery, where you can go to the Olympics. I think that should be more exposed at the beginning. I think we would get more people coming through if it was, because it is quite a small sport. There’s probably a lot of talent in club archery that never reaches the next level.
Competition aside, what do you love most about archery?
I think it’s that it can be whatever you want it to be in that moment. If you’re stressed, you can just go and shoot and chill out. Or if I’m down in the dumps, it can make me feel happier, and excited about what’s coming up next. It’s like a happy place.
Do you have any archery heroes that have inspired you, real or fictional?
To be honest, a lot of my teammates inspire me every day, because we train together. We’re all working towards the same goal, so it’s really nice seeing each of them have successes, especially when you’re working as a team, because there are team events in archery; it’s not just an individual sport. Also, when I was a kid I watched Brave, and I had a little plastic bow. That inspired me a bit too and maybe started it all off!