Archery - Quick Guide

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Archery - Overview

Archery is termed as a practice-sport, which means that it is more of a practice-oriented skill of using bow and arrow. Propelling an arrow with force through the air has only recently been considered a sport but it was always a very important hunting practise in olden days.

Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat purposes. But in modern times, archery had become a recreational and competitive sport. A person who indulges in archery is known as an archer or a bowman. An expert in archery is known as toxophilite.

Archery involves using a bow to shoot arrows at a stationary target. There are ten concentric circles that represent different tracts on the circular disk used as the target. The scores are dependent on the area of the circle where the arrow hits. The objective is to shoot the target with an arrow. The bow string will be stretched after placing the back-end of the arrow for initialising an input force which throws it towards the target.

Team Size

Generally, the game is played alone where individuals practice shooting the target or the concentric circles. However, as per the interest of the event-conducting company, the levels and types are decided and finalized. A team of 5-10 members can be formed, where they will together try to out-score the other teams by making points. The arrows contain a soft material at its tip to avoid causing any injuries to the players.

Participating Countries

When the Olympics started, archery found its position high in the list of sports. Since then, many countries have fought for the world championship, however when it comes to serious contendership, only a few countries fight for the top position. Among all the competing nations, South Korea stands top in the list with 19 gold medals, 9 silver medals, 6 bronze medals and a total of 34 which was the highest of all.

The list of other countries participating in Olympics archery is long and the number includes nearly all the countries in the world-map. The countries having at least one Olympics medal in Archery are: South Korea, United States, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Italy, China, Soviet Union, Finland, Ukraine, Australia, Netherlands, Spain, Japan, Sweden, Chinese Taipei, Germany, Mexico, Poland, Indonesia, Unified Team and Russia.

Click the link below to know more about Participating countries

Archery - Participating Countries

Archery - History

The history of archery goes back to 72,000 BC when bows and arrows were made in Africa. The oldest bows do not exist but it is estimated that they were invented in the period of late Paleolithic or early Mesolithic which is about 10,000 years ago.

The bows and arrows were later developed in different parts of the world. If we talk about Asia, warriors used short bows while riding a horse. Yew was used to make long bows in England which helped in improving the military power.

History in different periods

Now we will discuss history of archery in different periods

Prehistoric Times

Bows were the main weapon of war in pre-historic times. Some of them were poisonous. The history goes long back to 72,000 BC to 60,000 BC in South Africa where arrowheads were found. Small stone points were also found in France which dates back to 54,000 years ago.

These points show the evidence of a projectile weapon whose size was less than 10mm. Arrowheads were also found in the Fa Hien caves in Sri Lanka which date back to 48,000 years ago. The pieces of evidence show that in Sri Lanka, bows and arrows were used to shoot small animals like monkeys, squirrels, etc.

Bladelets were found in Kenya which were pierced into the human skull which shows that bows and arrows were used as weapons 10,000 years ago. All these evidences show that the bow was introduced in Eurasia in the upper Paleolithic period.

Archery came from Stellmoor to Europe 11,000 years ago. Pine was used for making arrows whose length was 6 to 8 inches and had a flint point.

Neolithic Period

The oldest bow in this period is 7,400 years old and belongs to Spain. It was made up of Yew wood and was in the shape of a D letter. The forts of the European Neolithic show that archery was the major weapon of fighting.

Bronze Age

In Europe, India, and Eastern Asia, archery became a great weapon for warfare. The popularity of archery in warfare started declining after the invention of gunpowder. In this period, mounted archery became a feature of Eurasian nomad culture which helped in military success. Later mass usage of guns declined the usage of archery in warfare. This led archery to be developed as a sport. The first competition of archery was organized in 1583 in England. The number of participants was 3,000.

History of Archery in different countries

Now we will discuss the development of archery in different countries. A large number of archers were available in India, Persia, Japan, Egypt, etc. Archers were the main group in a war and their attack was decisive. The term that was used for archery in Sanskrit is dhanurveda. Now we will see the history of archery in different countries.

North Africa

The archery was popular in ancient Egypt during the time of Pharaohs. At that time the technique was used in warfare and also for hunting purposes. Tomb of Thebes has different figures which shows that lessons in archery are being given to the trainees. Besides this, there are many deities of Egypt that were related to archery. The external enemies of Egypt were depicted by nine bows and one such example is the seated statue of Pharaoh Djoser

Most archers belonged to Nubian extraction which provided their service to Egypt. They were so expert in the art of archery that Ancient Egyptians called Nubia as the land of bow.

Mesopotamia

Bow and arrow were used by the Assyrians and Babylonians for hunting purposes. The ancient empires of Mesopotamia also used archery in warfare. Training was given to the archers and then they were employed to show their talent in wars. Archers used to fight either on foot or on chariots. Kassites had chariot warriors that were dependent on archery as a major weapon for warfare.

Eurasian Steppes

During the bronze age, European Steppes introduced a composite bow which became popular in the old world. These composite bows were introduced by the nomads from Eurasia to different civilizations like Mesopotamia, East Asia, India, Iran, and Europe. It is also believed that they introduced chariots with spoked wheels which were used in the Indo-European militaries. It is also believed that Eurasian Steppes introduced the domestication of horses and used bow and arrow while riding them.

India

In the Indian subcontinent, archery was extensively used in warfare. The paintings of Bhimbetka rock shelters give a picture of archery. The archery is also mentioned in Rigveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda. Dhanurveda can be found in Yajurveda which includes the knowledge of using bow and arrow and its usage in warfare.

Dhanurveda or the science of archery can also be found in the Visnu Purana and Mahabharata. The rules of archery are available in the Dhanurveda and it also includes the ways to train the people to become perfect archers. Different types of bows and arrows were also mentioned in this book along with the process of making them.

Indians also started using the composite bow on foot and chariots in the 2nd millennium BCE. The usage of archery continued in the Maurya empire. In the same period, Chanakya wrote Arthshastra which included economic and military strategies. A mention of an archery school in Taxila can also be found where training was given to 103 prices. Foot archers were a part of the army in the Gupta empire. The archery was used in India until the introduction of firearms by Mongols.

Greco Roman Antiquity

Archery was practiced by the people of Crete and this led to a high demand for Cretan archers. Alexander the Great included a larger number of archers in his army. The army of Romans included very few archers and later they had to employ archers trained in other countries.

The armies of Julius Caesar included Cretan archers. Archers with composite bows became a part of the Roman army in the whole empire. The Romans were pressurized when the Hun invaders used mounted archers in their army.

East Asia

Ancient Chinese culture also included archery. Confucius also taught archery to his students. One of the famous Chinese archers was Lie Zi who was also a Daoist philosopher. Crossbows were developed in China which helped the Han invaders to win the battles against the nomad invaders. With the expansion of Chinese culture, the techniques of archery were also diversified.

Europe

Short bows were used in Europe for warfare and hunting. The design of the arrows was the same as ancient period but the material used to make them was different as it was able to kill or injure an unarmored man if the range was close. In the early medieval period, usage of short bows was extensive and was used by unarmored archers.

The crossbow came to Europe in the 10^thcentury. The range of these arrows was very high and accurate. These arrows also had great penetration power. Crusades used these crossbows as they could pierce into the armor and also kill a horse. French armies also used crossbows.

Longbow was introduced in Europe in the 13th century and archers who used them were mostly peasants and yeomen. The rate of firing of a long bow is much higher than a short bow. Skill, training, and strength were needed to use a long bow. The long bow lacked accuracy so mass archers were used to attack the enemy. The last usage of the longbow was done in the final clan battle between the MacDonalds and the Mackintoshes. After the long bow, the McNaughton bow was introduced which was used by Highlanders.

Middle East

The composite bow was preferred in the Middle East as its power was more than that of the short bow. These composite bows could be easily shot from the horse back. Skilled craftsmen were able to make these bows. Mounted archers were included in the army of the Byzantine Empire and the ways of its usage were imposed by Emperor Mavrikios.

Mounted archers were also used by the tribes in Turkey against the first European Crusade. The aim of the archers was to damage the infantry of the European army to prevent their march

Asia

Genghis Khan and his successors had a Mongol army that consisted of mounted warriors. These warriors had Mongol bows which were similar to the recurve composite bow and were made by using leather, horn, and wood. Animal sinew was also a part of making the bow. All these items were held together with the help of fish glue. In order to make the bow waterproof, tree bark was used. Archers can shoot the arrows accurately in the range of 700 to 800 meters.

Two types of bows were used by the warriors. The short bow was used for short range and the long bow for long range. Some of the arrows also have the feature of piercing into the armor. The military of Korea was adopted from China in which archery skills were included. Later Korean archery became a practical martial art.

Declination of Archery

The usage of archery in warfare started declining after the introduction of gunpowder. Though archery was famous but gradually the usage of firearms was adopted by all the cultures. Early firearms were not very useful and they were very sensitive to the wet weather.

Armies were loaded with guns which increased their firepower and this made the highly trained archers obsolete. In a few countries like Korea and China, the usage of archery continued.

Archery usage for recreation

England started using archery as a game and one of the early societies for archery was Finsbury Archers while another one was Kilwinning Papingo. Kilwinning Papingo used to arrange competitions in which a wooden parrot had to be shot which was located at the top of the abbey tower.

One of the oldest archery sporting bodies was the Company of Scottish Archers which was formed in 1676. Toxophilite Society was formed in 1781 in London by Sir Ashton Lever. Many archery societies were formed later and had their own rules for entry.

Modern Archery Sport

The recreation of archery was turned into a sport in the 1840s when a Grand National Archery Society meeting was held in New York. Many rules were made which included shooting of arrows at 60, 80, and 100 yards. New archery techniques were suggested and developed by Horace A Ford. He was the winner of the Grand International tournament 11 times. By the end of the 19th century, other games like croquet and tennis developed which led to the decline of the archery sport. Only 50 archery clubs remained in Britain by the end of 1889.

Archery was a part of the 1900 Olympics held in Paris. The game also developed in Korea and China and craftsmen were asked to develop bows and arrows in China. In modern times, mounted archery has also become a famous sport. Archery has become the national sport of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

Professional archery was developed in the 1920s in which recurve and compound bows were used. American enthusiasts gave priority to the traditional bows. Fred Bear is considered as a developer of modern archery game. He was a bow manufacturer and bow hunter.

Archery in the Olympics, Paralympics, and World Games

The sport was included in the Olympics in 1900, 1908, and 1920. In order to provide a permanent place for archery in the Olympics, World Archery was founded in 1931. After 1920, the game disappeared and returned back in 1972.

After 1972, the game was permanently included in the Olympics. Recurve bows were used to take part in the target archery events. Archery also became a part of the Paralympic Games in the 1960s. Para archery events were held in which impaired athletes took part to show their talents by using recurve and compound bow.

Archery also became a part of the World Games in 1985 and recurve and barebow were used to take part in the event. A compound bow was added to the World Game in 2013.

Archery - Playing Environment

Ground Design

Archery is played on various types of fields according to the type of game. Ground archery requires a ground and a target. Well, other types of archery include Bow Hunting, Traditional Archery, 3D Archery, Field Archery, and Target Archery.

Bow archery involves hunting animals using bow and arrow. It is the oldest-known form of archery and one of the most ancient hunting techniques. Long-range grounds are used for this of game play.

Traditional Archery varies from country to country. The type of bow used in traditional archery varies according to the nation, following some ancient techniques. This is the reason this form of archery is called traditional archery.

3D archery tournaments provide for a non-violent version of bow archery with the use of modern technology, where the archers are instructed to train their arrows on 3D form of animals for shooting. The game provides a wooden walk or open course. This ground design is recommended by International Bow-hunting Organization.

Field archery is played on a roving course which was set through the woods. There are paper targets ranging from 20 to 80 yards. It is one of the most exciting forms of archery and gives a feel of the old days of hunting.

Target archery was featured in the Olympics Games. It consists of shooting bull’s-eye-style, multi-coloured target at certain distances. Different disciplines of the game has different grounds of play.

Dimensions

The most frequently-specified distance for shooting a target is between 20 to 80 yards. In Olympics, target archery has a length of 18 meters, i.e., about 20 yards indoor and between 30 to 90 meters outdoors. It depends on age of the archer and the style of equipment.

Archery - Equipment

Archery is the oldest sport and was one of the games in the Olympics held in 1900. The game can be played by both males and females. Archery is considered as one of the safest games in the world. Many strict rules and regulations are followed to make the game safe. There are many pieces of equipment used in this game and we will discuss them in detail.

Arm Guards

Arm guards are worn on the shooting hand in the forearm below the elbow. This is safety equipment as the hands of the archers are saved from bruises and other injuries. These injuries can occur when stretching the bowstring with the arrow for a shot.

Arrows

Arrows are long rods that have to be shot by stretching them on a bowstring and leaving them. Many materials are used to make these arrows but the most common is the specialized carbon fiber as they do not bend and also cannot be broken easily. Other materials used to make these arrows are wood, aluminum, and fiberglass.

Arrows are used with bows and are shot at the target to earn more and more points to win the game. Special arrows are used for hunting animals. Arrows are available in the games stores in a set of 6 or 12.

Arrow Rest

Arrow rest is a device that is used to attach it to the bow when a shot has to be made. Arrow rest helps archers to position the arrow correctly. Arrow rests are of different types and they include −

• Plunger rest

• Drop-away rest

• Whisker biscuit rest

• Prong rest

• V-bar rest

Archers should choose arrow rests that are comfortable to use and are compatible with their shooting style.

Arrow Tip

The arrow tip is also known as point and it is the pointed tip of the arrow which has to be pierced into the target after the shot. The arrow tip is made up of metal and is available in different designs and shapes. These designs include field points, broad heads, and target points.

Field points consist of bullet-shaped tips and are included in the arrows for target practice. Broadheads consist of sharp cutting edges and are used for hunting. Arrows having target points are used in competitions.

Arrow Fletches

Fletches are attached to the arrows and they are available in the form of vanes or feathers. The fletching is very important as it is responsible for stabilizing the arrows which are on their way to the target. Natural feathers or plastic are used to make these fletches. Different types of fletching include helical, straight, and parabolic. Archers need to choose proper fletching as it can affect the flight of arrows.

Bags

Bags are available for the archers to carry all their pieces of equipment which they will use in the game. Bags are available in different shapes and sizes and archers can choose the one suitable for their requirements. Bags can have a lot of compartments, straps, and pockets to store different pieces of equipment. Some bags also have a separate compartment for the bow. Durable materials are used to make these bags to protect the equipment from wear and tear.

Bows

Another essential piece of equipment used in archery is the bow. Bows consist of a string which is stretched by keeping an arrow which is shot at the target to get points. Archery bows are of two types which include compound bow and recurve bow. Recurve bows consist of an arch while compound bows consist of rigid shafts.

Bow Sights

The bow sight is a tool which is used by archers to focus on the target. Bow sight consists of pins which help the archers to shoot the target easily. Bow sights are of two types which include fixed pin bow sight and single pin bow sight. The fixed pin bow sight cannot be adjusted as the pin is fixed at a specific point. Single pin can be easily adjusted by archers as per their requirements. Fixed pin bow sights are better for beginners while experienced archers are able to use the single pin bow sights.

Bow Stand

A bow stand is used to keep the bow when it is not in use.

Chest Guards

Chest guards are worn over the shirt or the uniform to protect the chest from missed shots or string contraction. An adjustable strap is also available which can be used to fasten the guard. Chest guards are light in weight and do not cause a problem while shooting.

Crossbows

A crossbow is a bow which is used to shoot the arrows at short distances. There is a long frame in the bow and it looks similar to the capital T when kept horizontally. The speed of the arrows shot from this bow is faster than other bows. The bow also consists of a trigger so chances of human error is low.

Finger Tabs

A finger tab is needed to protect the fingers from the string of the bow. Finger tabs are available in the form of small devices which are worn on the fingers to protect them from injury while making a shot. Leather or synthetic materials are used for making these finger tabs. These finger tabs are easily adjustable so they can fit in any finger easily. Archers need to choose comfortable finger tabs which are easy to wear and are compatible with the bow.

Gloves

Gloves are pieces of equipment that are worn on the palms and help the archers to make a grip on the bow and arrow. Gloves are also worn for the protection of fingers from injuries. Gloves made up of leather are durable.

Quivers

Quivers are the cases in which the arrows are kept. Archers can store any kind of arrows in their quiver. A quiver consists of a strap and the case is located in such a way that archers can access the arrows easily. Quivers help the archers to keep both their hands free as arrows are kept in them.

Rangefinders

Rangefinders are used to find the accurate range of the target from a distance. It can also be used to view long distances of the target.

Risers

The central part of the bow is called the bow riser. Grip along with other attachments are located here. This part of the bow is made up of wood, aluminum, and other materials. It is the part which archers use to hold the bow. The risers are used for making a connection between the upper and lower limbs. Bow risers are available in different designs, sizes, and shapes.

Silencers

Silencers are used to reduce noise and friction.

Spotting Scopes

Spotting scopes work in the same way as a camera. It is not attached directly to the bow. The equipment consists of a lens which archers can use for zooming the target.

Stabilizers

Stabilizers can be attached to bows for stability and balance. Stabilizers have to be chosen on the basis of the ways archers want to shoot.

Targets

Targets are the important pieces of equipment which are used in the archery sport to earn points. Targets are available in round shapes and have rings with different colors. The points are given on the basis of where an arrow lands. If the arrow lands on the outermost ring, one point is awarded. If the arrow hits the center, ten points are awarded.

Target Stand

A target stand is a stand on which the target is fixed. The target stand is located at a particular distance and archers have to shoot the arrows on the target.

Archery - Terminology

Before taking a bow into the hand and throwing an arrow towards the target, it’s mandatory to learn a few terms in the field of archery for grasping little knowledge about the game and its features.

• Anchor Point − The point to be touched by the string before releasing the arrow.

• Archer’s Paradox − The effect generated by flexing of an arrow when it leaves the bow.

• Bow fishing − Using archery to catch fish.

• Bow hunting − Implementing archery in hunting and the practising of hunting.

• Broadhead − A sharp-bladed hunting head attached to an arrow.

• Bullseye − The centre of a target, for which hitting scores maximum points.

• Clout Archery − A discipline in archery to shoot at a flag. The closer arrow scores maximum points.

• Crest − Marking on an arrow used for design or identification.

• Crown − The nock end of the arrow where it is coloured.

• Daikyu − Term used by Japanese for longbow.

• Drawing − The pulling of the bowstring to an extreme stretch.

• Dry loosing − To loosen the string without an arrow, causing damage to the bow.

• End − A round in which arrows are shot.

• English Longbow − A powerful bow during medieval period.

• Field tip− Head for practising against the targets.

• Fistmele − A good distance or the balancing height between the bowstring and bow handle.

• Flu-flu arrow − A short range arrow that was specially designed for practising.

• Footed arrow − An arrow along with a shaft of two types of wood.

• Game − Wild animals hunted for sport or food.

• Gungdo − A practise followed in Korea for the archery game.

• Hen feather − Name for shaft feather which was misunderstood for cock feather.

• Horse archer − An archer sitting on a horse.

• Index fletching − A colored fletch for indication of proper alignment of arrows.

• Judo point − A target and also a small game head designed with springs for a better location.

• Kisser − Button indicating vertical distance while a bow is drawn.

• Limb − Lower and upper arms of a bow.

• Longrod − Rod on the bow attached to sustain vibrations.

• Mongolian Draw − To draw a bow using the thumb.

• Nock − To set an arrow to a bow.

• Overdraw − The situation when the bow is too large for the bow string.

• Plunger/ Pressure Button − Device for correcting the flex of an arrow during its release.

• Poisons − Toxics added to arrow heads to enhance the hunting impact.

• Quarrel − Also known as a bolt, it is a crossbow projection.

• Recurve bow − A bow, where the unstrung tips curve farther from the archer.

• Release − To relax the drawing hand fingers to free the arrow.

• Riser − The section for handling the bow.

• Safety arrow − Wide tip or padded head arrow, generally used for re-enactment.

• Self-bow − Bow made of single material.

• Shaft − The most important of all structural parts in an arrow.

• Spine − Stiffness in the shaft of an arrow with flex contraction.

• Stave − Wooden material used in making a bow.

• Tab − This leather latch is worn for the protection of fingers.

• Target archery − From different distances, shooting a steady target.

• Target shooting − A competition of using projectile weapons for testing expertise in archers.

• Tip − Top end of the bow, differentiated from arrow point.

• Upshot − The archery contest’s last shot.

• Vane − The fin of an arrow that stabilises the motion.

• Wand shoot − Event where players shoot arrows at soft wooden slat of 6’ tall and 2’’ wide.

• Yumi − A Japanese bow, mostly asymmetric, and consists of both short and long types.

Archery - Players and Positions

Archery is a game in which players have to shoot arrows at the target to earn points. Three athletes in each team have to shoot one arrow at a time and six in total.

Positions

There are three positions and three athletes have to take these positions at a time. We will discuss these positions here.

Position 1

The first position is known as Opener and this athlete has the responsibility to shoot the first arrow and help the rest of the team to set a great momentum for the team. If the shot is not good, it can create a problem for the rest of the team.

Position 2

The athlete in this position is called Middle. This position is called the heart of the team and is considered as weakest and consistent. If the middle archer is good, he may lead his team to win the match.

Position 3

The athlete in this position is called Anchor and has the option of shooting the sixth or the last arrow. The anchor has to shoot the arrow whether he can reach the target score or not. Archers at this position have the best records for shooting arrows.

Archery Stances

Archers have to set their stances properly so that they can shoot the arrows and earn more and more points. The stance refers to the position of the body which helps in shooting the arrow accurately. If the stance is not correct, it can be difficult to shoot the arrow at the target. Many things have to be considered to make an ideal stance placement. Some of these things are as follows −

• Players have to stand straight and upright so that every part of the body can be easily controlled.

• The foot should be placed in an ideal position to maintain the balance.

• Knees should be kept straight and relaxed.

There are many stance options and players can adopt the one which is suitable for them to shoot the arrow. We will discuss different stance positions here.

The Square Stance

The square stance is considered as one of the most popular stances as it is very simple and can be used by beginners as well as expert archers. A square stance helps the players to create a solid base so that the target can be aimed accurately.

For this stance, an archer has to keep his feet parallel to each other and they should be on either side of the shooting line. If a player is a right-hander, his left foot will be in front and his right foot will be at the back. The opposite has to be done by the left-hander.

The Open Stance

This is a type of stance in which the archer has to keep his legs on the opposite sides of the shooting line. The difference between the open stance and the square stance is that the front leg has to be kept slightly back in the open stance. In order to use this stance, the angle of the feet has to be set to a 45 degree so that the face of the feet is towards the target along with the hips.

The Closed Stance

The Closed Stance is the opposite of the open stance. This is a stance in which the front foot is kept at front. Archers have the option of putting their front feet away from the target but the angle should be less than the angle of the front foot in the open stance.

How to Practice Archery Stance?

There are different ways which you can use to practice your stance. Some of them are discussed below −

Straddling the Line

This is a way which depends on whether you are a right-handed or left-handed archer. If you are right-handed, your left foot should be kept forward and the opposite should be followed if you are left-handed.

Width of feet and shoulder

The width of the feet and shoulder should be kept apart when you are standing on the shooting line. If you feel problems while targeting the target and shooting the arrow, it is because your feet may be too close or too far apart.

Consistency should be maintained

Choose the stance and be consistent on it. Practice it as much as possible so that muscle strength can be developed. This will also improve your shooting experience.

Posture maintenance

You always need to stand straight and tall. If you always maintain such a posture, you will be able to improve your shooting accuracy. The back should be kept straight while the knees can be bent a little.

Relaxation

The chest, hips, and torso should be relaxed which will help in the reduction of the muscle strain. Shoulders should be relaxed at regular intervals because if this will not be done, you may not be able to shoot accurately.

The head should be kept straight

The head should be kept straight for accurate shooting.

Archery - How to Practice?

There are steps to learn archery. Any amateur can easily be proficient in this game but to learn it, play it, and be a better sportsman, archery needs to be practiced regularly and under supervision.

Let us go through the basics of how to play and grasp the joy of archery.

Requirements

Every player who is willing to take part in archery should make sure their vision is sharp and that they can see the target. This has to be the first step to consider for any archer. As the targets are far away and very small, it takes keen observation power to hit the target.

The other things needed are a bow, arrows, and guards for protecting various body parts from hurts and injuries during the game.

Costumes and Equipment

Mostly, the players suffer minor injuries on their wrist areas and fingers when they release the arrow. Hence, protection for arm, fingers and chest must be put on before entering into the game.

Choose a bow that is suitable for you, and is comfortable in your grip. Arrows are prefixed with some length and sizes. Once you select one, get ready to launch the first arrow.

Click the link below to know more about equipment − Archery - Equipment

Before You Start

The first step to do before you get started is to stretch the body. Stretching is compulsory to avoid a pull of the muscle. To avoid any injuries that might hurt the arms, elbows, and shoulder muscles and result in severe pain, the players are advised to do some basic stretching before the game.

All dangling objects including earrings, loose clothing should be removed. If the player possesses long hair, it should be tied back for precautions.

The next step is placing the arrow in the dent attached to the string. The string is generally made of synthetic material, so fingers need a tab for protection from minor cuts. The rubber-rest holds the arrow over the bow and it’s the responsibility of the player to make sure that it clicks the rest. The arrow must not come loose.

How to Hold the Arrow?

While the arrow is on the dent and the string is stretched, make sure that index finger is placed above the arrow, with the middle and ring fingers below the arrow. The little finger and thumb should be placed away. Make sure they never touch the string. This enables the free movement of the arrow without putting any pressure on it.

Now it’s time to release the arrow. Gently, the string should be pulled back such that it touches the tip of your nose and your hand is below your jaw. If you feel your muscle tensed, then ease it back and make sure to warm up the muscle and your arm.

Aiming

There is a sight located on the bow for aiming the target. Learn to use the red dot that is in the middle, and the picture which is at the centre of the target. Never hold the stretched string for more than 4 seconds.

This may end up in losing the target and stretching a muscle, causing severe pain and shivering in the hand. Try using the back muscle instead of the arm, for holding the bow. Try to close the left eye to avoid any distraction in locking a view on the target.

Now, slowly ease your fingers away from the stretched string, and maintain a stance while the arrow whistles through the air. To loosen the muscle, try to breathe three times after releasing the firm grip.

Make sure that during the first few attempts, your instructor stays beside you to teach you the basic necessary steps. However, some basic steps can be achieved only through practise and personal advice. The best archers were once beginners and would happily tell you that this sport works on the principle of striving for perfection. The attitude must be to learn, rather than compete.

Only after a great deal of practise, the art of archery can mastered. After going through the basic level training, make sure these skills are practised well, acquainted and applied with every arrow that is shot from the bow.

Scoring and Winning

There are two types of scoring in archery that depend on the level of game conducted. They are 5-zone and 10-zone scoring −

• 5-zone Scoring − In the former one, the target is divided into 5 different coloured zones and points are awarded according to the level the arrow hits. This method is followed in GNAS rounds and the distances are measured in yards.

• 10-zone Scoring − The 10 zone is divided into 10 scoring zones, where each colour is spilt into two parts the inner ring and the outer ring. For world archery,10-zone scoring method is used. This is used in most indoor archery and the length is measured in meters.

How to Aim the Traditional Bow?

The modern bows have sights and other equipment that help the archer to locate the target with ease and deliver the shot better, which results in a better performance. While using a traditional bow, archers find it difficult to target a point as it doesn’t allow any of these extra features on the bow.

The instinctive shooter’s focus should be especially fixed on the target. We know that peripheral vision can pick up cues that are away from the target, but an intent and focused mind doesn’t take a note of them. A reference shooter may explain the aiming reference, but that cannot be expected from an instinctive shooter.

Reference Methods

All reference methods are based on determining the point where the bow setup is placed while shooting. The point on distance is where the trajectory of arrow and the shooters’ line of sight shall meet. This point on distance varies from shooter to shooter.

The point on distance has an impact by the following features like arrow length, arrow speed, hold on the string, anchor point, etc. Shooters who love targeting long distances develop longer point of distance to lower the hold on far targets.

Split Vision

The split vision is the awareness of arrow shaft and adjusting to the wind-flow. Referring to many shooters, this split-vision is merely based upon the sight picture. Under a keen observation, the arrow and the riser are aligned in such a way that they line up to the target.

Various Gaps Method

The visual gap actually can be the distance between the shooter and the target itself. This depends on the shooter’s knowledge on the arrow’s trajectory at various timeframes till the point on distance is reached. Most archers pick up a point either above or below the target to coincide with the amount of trajectory that the arrow needs to compensate for gravity, while taking the arrow to the specific spot.

Pick up a Point

In this system of shooting, the archers select a point on the target and also calculate the trajectory of arrow, how high or low the arrow makes an impact along the path. This is same as gapping the target. The major difference is only the focus which remains constant. In a whole, the shooter tries to hit a certain spot using the point, but the trajectory takes it to a location slightly above or below the point.

Short Gap

In this method, the archer visualizes the target as a spot slightly above, or directly in front of the arrow. It seems like painting while the arrow is actually the brush. This is a bit harder to few people as the brain visualizes in 3D and the target needs to be seen as a picture.

Shaft Gapping

In this method, the archer needs to know how to use the diameter of arrow shaft. The shooter utilizes the arrow shaft to measure the gap towards the target. This is mastered through vigorous practise that includes observation and concentration.

Archery - Precautions

Most people have a misconception that because they aren’t firearms, bows can be carelessly handled. But like guns, arrows can also be misused and can cause serious damage to the archer himself or people around him. Odds are that most people who are regular users of the bow have been slapped by their bowstring at least a few times, but there are much worse things that have happened.

Safety

Some of the potentially lethal mistakes and do-not are listed below −

• The torque in the bow tends to break the string. The string should be in alignment with cams and any twist in the positions can break the string, causing a slap over the wrist and arm. Be careful while stretching the bowstring.

• Be sure the arrows are flexed before they are used. The carbon arrows, especially the new ones should be flexed because the damaged arrows have a greater chance of breaking when they are shot. This may send splinters into the shooters face causing injuries. Some broken arrows may get into the hands and pierce through the skin.

• Improper hold over the release may result in some bruises, so the archers need to make sure that they hold the bow correctly. Also, the draw-length should be maintained with proper calculations, depending upon the string material, the material used for the arrows, etc. and torque on the bow and string.

• Never shoot straight up. It is an obvious observation that should never be ignored. Remember, everything that goes up should come down. And if an arrow is launched straight upward, it may result in hitting you before you run away from the initial position.

• Never dry-fire a bow. Stretching and releasing a bow string without an arrow is one of the worst kinds of act to be performed while holding a string. Not only it damages the string, but also, it may hurt you at places where the bowstring generally doesn’t hurt. So be careful and try not to be foolish.

Knowing the target and the environment around it helps you to prevent hurting others. Check the surroundings; especially, what is present behind the target. Safeguarding helps not only yourself, but also people around you.

Archery - Rules

Archery is a popular sport and participants have to follow many rules. Some of these rules are listed below −

• Archers have to follow all the rules related to the equipment they are going to use in the game. The equipment should not consist of any accessories which may help them against their opponents.

• Archers have to shoot three arrows in two minutes and six arrows in four minutes.

• The participants can raise their bow only after receiving the signal.

• Participants cannot reshoot the arrows in any circumstances. If the arrow falls, misfires, or if the target falls or blew, then the arrows can be shot again in the given extra time.

• An archer will get the points even if the arrow hangs on the target or rebounds.

• Disqualification of archers can be done if the points are deducted

• Archers can be banned from the sport if they commit severe offenses, breach the rules, etc.

• Archers can appeal to the judge regarding the damaged equipment.

• Fellow shooters should be given enough space to shoot their arrows.

• Players have to stand with their legs on either side of the shooting line before shooting the arrow.

• Wait times can be reduced by shooting as many arrows as a player can.

• The bow should be kept on the rack after shooting all the arrows.

• All the rules related to the range must be followed

• Equipment should be inspected before starting shooting

• Running on the range is not allowed. Players can only walk.

• Shooting without an arrow is called a dry fire and players should not take this step.

• Arrows should be put in the quiver until the game starts

• Players should shoot arrows at the target in their lane.

• Players need to ensure that the line of fire is clear

• All types of bows can be used to play the game except crossbows.

• There should be a proper crest on the arrows which helps in determining its archer.

• Arrows should be shot after getting the signal

• If an arrow falls and cannot be reached by bow, it is considered as shot.

• Players are allowed to shoot only six arrows at the target. If an arrow is shot after that, the score of the lowest six is counted.

• The first arrow has to be shot from the longest distance. The distance of the next arrow should be shortened and this can be done up to the last arrow. The distance of the last arrow is the shortest.

• Scores are recorded from highest to lowest

• The diameter of the target is 122cm

• The colors of the bands from middle to outwards are gold, red, blue, black, and white.

Archery - Variants

Archery is of different types which is used in different types of competitions. Some competitions use more than one discipline while some have single ones. Here we will discuss different variants of archery.

Target Archery

Target archery is one of the most popular variants of archery. It is a game in which an archer has to shoot a fixed number of arrows from a distance at a stationary target. The target consists of 10 rings and the more an archer’s arrow closer to the center, the more points he or she earns.

If an archer shoots at the center, he gets 10 points while one point is awarded for the farthest ring. The distance of the target in the indoor archery competitions is 16 meters while for outdoor, it is 70 meters.

Olympic Archery

Olympic archery is a type of target archery but has different rules. Only recurve bows are used in the Olympic Archery The first competition of archery was held in the 1900 Olympics. Different types of competitions are held which include a team event, a male event, and a female event. Besides recurve bows, archers have to use other pieces of equipment like sights, stabilizers, and clickers. The distance of the target is 70 meters and the size of the target is 1.22 meters.

Field Archery

Field archery is also a popular variant of archery in which any kind of bow is used for practice and to play the game. Recurve bows, traditional bows, and other kinds of bows can be used in this competition. People with various skills and ages can participate in the competition. Fields similar to golf are used to conduct the competition.

3D Archery

3D archery is a variant of archery in which targets are set that look similar to the animals. The targets are set in similar ways like field archery. The game is arranged to provide a hunting experience to the archers. 3D archery competitions are also held in which the scoring system is different from the target archery. Different markings are made on the animal and points are awarded accordingly.

Flight Archery

Flight archery is another variant of archery but is not much popular. The aim of this archery is to shoot an arrow at the farthest possible distance. The arrow is shot from a single standing position but sometimes a foot bow is also used in which archers have to push the bow forward with their feet. After that, they can pull the string with their hands.

Clout Archery

Clout archery is a variant of archery in which archers have to shoot an arrow as close to clout as possible. A flag may also be used instead of clout and archers have to shoot arrows near the flag. Clout archery requires a lot of space as flags or clouts have to be placed at different distances.

Ski Archery

Ski archery was started in Norway in the 16^th century but it got recognition in 1991 in spite of its popularity before 1991. Archers have to ski on a course and have to keep their bows and arrows. The length of the course is between 5 to 7.5 miles. Archers have to stop at different places and shoot at the targets whose distance is 18 meters. No points are awarded in this game. If an archer misses a shot, he or she has to move 350 meters as a penalty without hitting any target. The winner of the match is the archer who has completed the course first.

Run Archery

Run Archery is similar to the Ski archery. This is a variant of archery in which archers have to run in a course and stop to shoot arrows at different targets. The archer who first reaches the finishing line wins the game. Archers have to hold the bow in their hands and if arrows are kept by the shooting line, archers can pick them up. A flat open course is suitable for this game.

Mounted Archery

Mounted archery is considered as one of the toughest variants of archery. It is not very popular. Archers have to ride on a horse and shoot the targets. A horse rider has to follow a fixed track and has to hit 3 or 5 targets in the way. The distance of targets is only a few meters. Archers can shoot from front, back, overhead, and behind himself but it depends on the type of track. The results depend on the accuracy of the archers and the time taken to complete the course.

Kyudo

Kyudo is a martial art from Japan in which bows and arrows are used. The technique of playing this game is taught in Japan only. Another thing is that this game is different from archery. The bow used in this game is termed as yumi and is of asymmetrical shape. Bamboo is used to make these bows. These bows are longer than the longbows.

Popinjay

Popinjay is a form of archery which is not very popular but many annual events are held. This variant of archery is much popular in Belgium. In this game, different replicas of birds are attached to poles or towers and archers have to shoot them with blunt bows. The birds must be knocked down so that points can be awarded. If the shots are challenging, more points are awarded in comparison to the easy shots.

Bow Hunting

Bow hunting is a game in which archers have to hunt with bows and arrows. Powerful compound bows and broad-head arrows are used in this game. The most popular target in this game is deer. Besides this, other large animals like elk, boars, bears, and moose are also the targets. Small targets like rabbits, raccoons, turkeys, and other small animals are also hunted. Bow hunting depends on local regulations and weather conditions.

Bow Fishing

Bow Fishing is a combination of bow hunting and spearfishing. This is a variant of archery in which a fishing reel is attached to a bow and special arrows are attached to the reel. Archers have to shoot the fish with the help of bows and arrows.

Crossbow Archery

This is a variant of archery in which crossbows are used and three disciplines are included which are −

• 30m Match crossbow

• 10m Match crossbow

• Field crossbow

Archers have a limited time of three minutes to shoot three arrows.

Roving Marks

Roving Marks is considered as one of the oldest variants of archery as it was played in the times of Henry VIII. In this competition, there were marks or flags on the field and archers had to be shot at each mark to gain points.

Beursault

This is a type of archery variant which is popular in Belgium and France. Two targets are set which face each other and the distance between them is 50 m. Archers have to stand at one target and shoot the other one.

Wand Shoot

Wand Shoot is an archery variant in which a vertical strip of wood is set and archers have to shoot at it. The height of the wood was 180cm and the width was either 75mm or 150mm.

Golf Archery

This is a rare form of archery variant that is played in the US. In this archery, archers have to shoot against the golfers. Archers are not allowed to cross the fairway.

Indoor Archery

Indoor archery is a type of target archery which is played indoors. Indoor archery is practiced in the UK when the weather conditions are not good. The targets are of different colors which include yellow, red, blue, black, and white. The distance of the targets is 18m or 20 yards for compound, recurve, barebow, and longbow archers.

Disabled Archery

Disabled archery is a variant of target archery and has been established for people who have any physical impairment. It is also known as Para Archery. International competitions are held in the categories of compound and recurve archers. These archers are allowed to use assistive devices like mouth tabs, wheelchairs, etc. If archers are visually impaired, They have the option of using a spotter which helps them in aiming and scoring. The spotter will also help them in collecting the arrows. Paralympic Games were started as archery was used in the form of rehabilitation activity at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Archery - World Indoor Championships

Indoor archery is a variant of archery which is similar to the target archery. There are circular targets that have to be shot from a short distance of 18 meters. The participants in the indoor archery include recurve, compound, and barebow archers. Till now 14 competitions of the indoor archery world championships have been held from 1991 to 2018. Now it has been removed for the promotion of the indoor Archery World Series. All the archers can participate in this competition.

Targets in the Indoor Archery

The target is smaller than the traditional variant of archery. The target is of five colors and is set at 18 meters. The diameter of the target is 40 cm. There are three separate stops which archers have to see before shooting. These spots prevent the damaging of arrows.

Recurve Archers

The target that recurve archers have to shoot is of 40 cm in diameter. It consists of ten rings whose diameter is 4 cm.

Compound Archers

The target for the compound archers has ten rings whose diameter is 2 cm.

Barebow Archers

The target for the barebow archers is a single spot target face which is of full size and consists of 10 rings having a diameter of 4 cm. The diameter of the target is 40 cm.

Format of Indoor Archery Competition

Indoor archery competitions have only individual events and has two phases which are discussed here.

Qualification phase

This is a phase in which each archer has to shoot 60 arrows and ranks are given to them on the basis of points that they have scored. Maximum number of archers are disqualified in this phase.

Matchplay Phase

Matchplay is the second phase in which the participants include mixed teams, individual archers, and teams competing with each other for different categories of the sport. The winner of a category moves further while the loser has to leave the event. This process is continued till an archer wins the championship. The set system is used to make a decision on the recurve matches while cumulative score is used to decide the winner for the compound matches.

Team Event

Team events also have rules to be followed. Each team consists of three archers and the gender of each of them is the same. The bow style should also be same which they have to use to shoot the arrows. The team has to score high to win the event. The total number of teams or mixed teams that can participate in a team event is 16.

Scoring Formats

Different scoring formats are used for recurve and compound competitions and we will discuss each of them here.

Set System

The score for recurve and barebow competition is decided through the set system. Archers have to score points to defeat their competitors. There is a fixed number of points which archers have to achieve to become a winner. An archer has to shoot three arrows in a set. If he wins a set, two points are awarded to him. In the case of a tie, each archer gets one point.

Each team has to score a maximum of five points in a set. Archers have to fire six arrows in a set. If archers have completed four sets and the match is tied at four set points, it results in a tiebreak.

Cumulative Score

In the case of compound matches, a cumulative score is used to decide the winner. Archers have to score the highest number of points to win a match. In the case of an individual event, an archer has to shoot 154 arrows while in a team event, 24 arrows are shot. If the points result in a tie, players have to go for a tiebreak.

Tiebreak

The tiebreak format for all types of matches like barebow, compound, and recurve is same. In the case of individual matches, archers have to shoot an arrow in the center of the target. The winner of the match is the archer whose arrow reaches closest to the center. If the decision is difficult for the judge, the arrows are shot again.

In the case of a team match, each archer has to shoot one arrow in the tiebreak. The team that scores the highest is declared as the winner. In the case of a tie of scores, judges decide the winner on the basis of the arrow that is closest to the center. Another shooting is done if the closest arrow cannot be determined.

Archery - Olympics

Archery is the oldest sport and it is also a part of different competitions like the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, etc.

History of Archery in the Olympics

Archery was introduced in the Olympics in 1900 when the event was arranged in Paris. It was also included in the Olympics in 1904, 1908, and 1920 in which many archers participated.

The rules for archery were set by the country where the Olympic Games were held. Later on, the World Archery Federation made rules to be followed in each Olympic Game. These rules were difficult to follow so archery was removed from the Olympics after 1920.

Return of Archery to Olympics

The demand to include archery in the Olympics arose in the 1930s but a fixed set of rules was needed. Seven founding member states created the World Archery Federation and these members include the following −

• Italy

• France

• Hungary

• Czechoslovakia

• Poland

• Sweden

• The United States

World Archery Federation has the responsibility of making rules and also promoting the game all over the world. The sport was regulated and many archery championships were arranged by the organization. Because of the fixed rules made by the federation, archery was again included in the 1972 Olympics held in Munich.

Rules of Archery in Olympics

Many rules have been made which helped in returning of the archery game to the Olympics. Head-to-head competition and single elimination brackets are included. The only discipline included in the Olympic archery is recurve. Medal events are held for both males and females for individual and team events. In the case of mixed teams, the rule has been changed. The members of the mixed teams have to shoot at the gold.

Archery Competitions held in the Olympics

Different competitions of archery are held in the Olympics and we will discuss each of them in detail.

Individual Competition

This is a competition in which 64 males and 64 females have to participate. Archers have to shoot at the target whose diameter is 122 cm and distance is 70 meters. There are ten concentric circles available on the target which are available in five colors. Archers will get ten points if their arrow hits the center ring that has a diameter of 12.2 cm. An archer has to shoot 72 rows and get a high score for qualification. After this, a single elimination round is arranged which helps in determining the winner.

An archer has to shoot three arrows in every set and the one who wins a set receives two points. If the shooting results in a tie, each archer receives one point. The winner is the one who has scored six or more points. In the case of a tie, archers are given a chance to shoot one more arrow and the winner is the one whose arrow is closest to the center. Archers may have to shoot again if measuring the distance of arrows from the center is difficult.

Team Event

A team event is an event in which three archers of each team have to participate. These archers are ranked from 1 to 12. The rank is given to them on the basis of the score that they have earned in the qualifying round. Each team has to shoot three arrows in a match. This process repeats for 6 arrows and each archer has to shoot one arrow at a time in one round and one arrow in another to complete a set of shooting 6 arrows.

The team who scores the highest gets 2 points for a set. In the case of a tie, each team wins one point. A team is declared a winner if it wins five set points. If a tie occurs after four sets, each archer from each team is invited alternatively to shoot at the target. The team whose arrow is closest to the center wins the match.

Mixed Team Event

The first mixed team event was held in the Tokyo Olympics in which top-ranked male and female participants from each country were allowed to participate. Each team consists of two participants a male and a female. Both of them have to shoot two arrows in a set. If a team reaches five set points, it is declared as the winner. If a tie occurs after four sets, each archer from each team is invited alternatively to shoot at the target. The team whose arrow is closest to the center wins the match.

Archery - Tournaments

Archery is one of the oldest and most popular games. It was also included in the Olympics held in 1900,1904, etc. It was the first game in which women were also allowed to participate. Many archers have made different records in various tournaments. We will discuss about all these tournaments in detail.

Olympic Games

Archery was included in the Olympic games in 1900. It was also included in the 1904 and 1908 Olympic Games and then removed. It was again included in the 1972 Olympic games and from then it became a permanent sport. Team and individual events are organized for men and women. South Korea has won 20 gold medals which highest. The competition is held every four years

World Championships

World Archery organizes World archery championships in which the best archers all over the world have to participate in the event to compete in different categories like recurve and compound. The USA and South Korea are the active participants. The competition is held every two years.

European Championships

European Championships are held to find out the best archers. The organizer of this competition is the European and Mediterranean Archery Union. Different categories of events are held in this competition like recurve, compound, and field archery. France and Russia have won a lot of medals in this tournament. The competition is held every two years.

Asian Archery Championships

The Asian Archery Championship is a competition in which Asian countries participate. The countries that have won most of the medals are South Korea, China, and Japan. The competition is held every two years.

Paralympic Games

Paralympic games are held every four years and archery was included in this competition in 1960. The events are organized for males and females and participants can participate individually or in teams. The competition is held so that handicapped people can show their talent.

World Field Archery Championships

World Field Archery Championships was started in 1969 and is held every two years. World Archery organizes this competition where archers have to show their skill of shooting at marked and unmarked distances. The countries who have won in these events are the USA, Sweden, and Italy.

Asian Games

Asian games are also known as Asiad and are held every four years. Multiple sports are played in this event and archery is one of them. South Korea has performed well in this event and has won many gold medals.

Pan American Games

Pan American Games are held every four years in which multiple events are arranged and one of them is archery which was included in this event from 1979. The top performers in archery are the United States of America and Mexico.

European Field Archery Championships

The European field archery championship is an event that is held every two years. The event is arranged by the European and Mediterranean Archery Union. The best archers in Europe are invited to participate in this event. The countries that perform best in this competition are Italy, Croatia, and Sweden.

Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games are held every four years and archery is one of the events. Commonwealth Games were first organized in 1930 and archery was included in 1982. The strongest nations in archery are England, India, and Australia.

Indoor Archery World Series

The Indoor Archery World Series was previously known as the Indoor World Cup. The event is held by World Archery in which the best indoor archers are invited for competition. The event is held every year and archers from all over the world are invited for participation.

World Archery Youth Championships

World Archery Youth Championships are held every two years in which youth are invited from all over the world to show their talent in archery. The event was started in 1991 and the participants include junior and cadet-level athletes. The competition is held in recurve and compound categories and the successful countries in this championship are the United States, South Korea, and Russia.

Universiade

Universiade is also popular by the name of the World University Games. This is an event in which participants can participate in multiple sports and archery is one of them. The event gives exposure to the young people to show their talent in archery. The top countries in this competition are Korea, China, and Italy. The competition is held every two years.

World Games

World Games consists of different types of sports and archery is also included in this event. The competition is held every four years and archery events include 3D archery and field archery. Sweden, Italy, and the United States are the top performers in this event.

World Indoor Archery Championships

World Archery is the organizer of the World Indoor Archery Championships. This is a competition in which the best archers from all over the world are invited to participate in this competition. The disciplines included in this competition are compound and recurve. The top performers in this competition are South Korea, the United States, and Italy. The competition is held every two years.

World 3D Archery Championships

World 3D Archery Championships was started in 2003 and is held every two years. The governing body of this competition is World Archery. The competition was started in 2003 and it is held on uneven terrain. The target in this competition is life-sized foam animals. The top performers in this competition are the USA, Sweden, and Italy.

Para Archery Championships

Para Archery Championships were started in 1998 and are held every two years. This is a competition in which para-athletes are invited to show their skills and talents in the game of archery. Many categories are included in this competition which are recurve, compound, and virtually impaired archery. The top performers in the competition are Iran, South Korea, and the United States.

European Para Archery Championships

The European Para Archery Championships were started in 1995 and are held every two years. The organizing body for this competition is the European and Mediterranean Archery Union. The different categories of competitions involved in this championship are recurve, compound, and virtually impaired. The countries that are top performers in this competition are Great Britain, Italy, and Russia.

Asian Para Archery Championships

Asian Para Archery Championships was started in 2013 and is held every two years. The organizing body of this competition is the Asian Archery Federation. Para athletes are the participants in this competition from Asian countries. The top-performing countries in this competition are South Korea, Iran, and China.

Archery - Participating Countries

The popularity of Archery can be found all over the world as athletes from many countries participate in different events held every two or four years. This was the first game in which women were also allowed to participate in the Olympics. There are many federations and organizers that organize different competitions in different countries.

Here is the table where you can find the participating countries in the world. Currently, there are 168 countries and we will list them along with their federations.

Archery - Champions

The World Archery Championships 2023 was held in Berlin, Germany for the qualifying round for the Paris Olympics 2024. The championship consisted of 10 events and the number of participants was 530. India was the top performer as the country has won many medals. Participants participated in two events which were recurve and compound. The results of the championship can be found in the table below −

Medals in Recurve Competition

Medals won by archers in recurve competition can be found in the table below −

Medals in Compound Competition

Medals won by archers in compound competition can be found in the table below −

Archery - Olympic Winners

Archery was a part of the Olympics in 1900, 1904, 1908, and 1920 and then it disappeared. It was again included in the Olympics in 1972. There are many winners who won medals in different categories of Archery in the Olympics and we will discuss about these winners in detail.

Kim Soo Nyung

Kim Soo Nyung belongs to Korea and has won medals in Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, and Sydney 2000. She started shooting arrows when she was nine years old. She participated in a regional competition and was the only winner. At the age of 13, she started playing archery and even left her middle school. At the age of 16, she became a part of the national team and won a gold medal at the international COQ France event. Later she participated in the 1988, 1992, and 2000 Olympics and won gold medals.

Darrell Pace

Darrel Pace is an archer from the USA whose records are unique in comparison to other archers. He won medals in the individual Olympic events in 1976 and 1984. He became the supreme competitor in the Olympics. He took part in the Olympic trials in 1972 and got 5th place. He won the US national championship in 1974 and gained 1291 points. In 1975, he was able to get 1316 points. He also participated in the World Archery Championships held in Switzerland in 1975. He participated in Montreal Olympics held in Canada in which two 1440 were shot in four days and Pace gained 2571 points.

Park Sung Hyun

Park Sung-Hyun is an archer from Korea who participated in the Athens Olympics in 2004 and the Beijing Olympics in 2008. She is considered as the greatest archer in the Olympics as she won three golds and one silver in two Olympics. She started practicing archery at the age of 11 and won the World Archery Championships held in Beijing in 2001 at the age of 18.

Hubert van Innis

Hubert van Innis belongs to Belgium and participated in the 1900 and 1920 Olympics. He is also one of the greatest archers and has won six golds and three silvers in two Olympics. In the 1900 Olympics, he was a part of the World's Fair which was considered as one of the biggest events. In this event, 5,000 archers participated. Most of them were from France and a few were from Belgium and Netherlands. He won a silver medal in 50m and a gold medal in two other events in which he defeated French archers. In the 1920 Olympics, he won four golds and one silver.

Yun Mi Jin

Yun Mi Jin belongs to Korea and is one of the best archers. She won two medals in the 2000 Olympics held in Sydney and one in the 2004 Olympics held in Athens. At the age of 18 years, she was a part of the national team and then she was selected for the Sydney Olympics. She participated in the individual competition and defeated Alison Williamson and Kim Soo-Nyung. Yun along with other Korean participants won gold by defeating Germany, the USA, and Ukraine. She also participated in the Asian Games in 2002 and next year. She also participated in the World Archery Championship held in New York.

Marco Galiazzo

Marco Galiazzo belongs to Italy and he participated in three Olympics listed below −

• Athens 2004

• Beijing 2008

• London 2012

He won his first gold at the age of 21 in the Athens 2004 Olympics, Marco defeated Larry Godfrey in the semifinals and Hiroshi Yamamoto in the finals and won the gold medal. In the Beijing 2008 Olympics, he participated in the individual and team events. In the individual event, he won a gold and in the team event, he reached the final along with two other teammates - Ilario Di Buo and Mauro Nespoli. He won a silver in the team event. In the 2012 Olympics, He won a gold in the individual event.

Park Kyung-Mo

Park Kyung-Mo belongs to Korea and he has participated in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics held in Athens and Beijing respectively. He started his international career at the age of 15 and became a part of the national team at the age of 18. He won a gold in the individual event at the 1993 World Archery Championships. He participated in the 2004 Olympics and was defeated in the individual event. He also participated in the team event and won a gold. His team included Park Sung Hyun and Jang Hong Ho. He also participated in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 in a team event and won a gold and a silver in the individual event.

Michele Frangilli

Michele Frangilli belongs to Italy and has participated in the four Olympics which are −

• Atlanta 1996

• Sydney 2000

• Athens 2004

• London 2012

He started his archery career at the age of 10 and his coach was Vittorio who was also his father. He won a bronze in the 1996 Olympics in a team event. In the 2000 Olympics, he got 9th rank in the individual event and won a silver in the team event. He also participated in the 2004 Olympics but could not win any medals. He won a gold medal in the team event in the 2012 Olympics.

Lee Sung Jin

Lee Sung Jin belongs to Korea and participated in the 2004 and 2012 Olympics. She became a part of the national team in 2003 and won a gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics by defeating Park Sung Hyun. She won a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics in an individual event.

Hiroshi Yamamoto

Hiroshi Yamamoto belongs to Japan and participated in 5 Olympics listed below −

• Los Angeles 1984

• Seoul 1988

• Barcelona 1992

• Atlanta 1996

• Athens 2004

He is a talented archer from Japan. He participated in the 1984 Olympics and won a silver medal in an individual event. He also participated in the 1988, 1992, and 1996 Olympics but could not win any medals. He participated in the 2012 Olympics and won a silver medal in an individual event.

List of Olympic Medalists in Archery

Here are the details of medals won in different events held in the Olympics from 1972 to 2020.

Men Event Individual

Men Event Team

Women Event Individual

Women Event team

Mixed Events Team

Archers and the number of medals

Archery - Associations of India

The Archery Association of India (AAI) is a body which has been formed to encourage, promote, and regulate the archery sport. AAI was established on August 8, 1973, and is a non-profit autonomous organization. The body was formed under the Registration of Society Act.

AAI has affiliations with the World Archery Federation, World Archery Asia, South Asian Archery Federation, and Indian Olympic Association. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports gave it the recognition. The AAI consists of the following −

• 33 affiliated member State/Union Territories Archery Associations

• 8 Sports Boards/Institutions/Organizations

• 4 Prominent Archers as Associate Members

Archery Events in India

The AAI is responsible for arranging the International Archery Events in India. The details are available in the table below −

Archery Championships held by AAI

AAI arranges archery competitions under different categories and the list is given below −

• Senior − Senior National Archery Championships

• Junior − Junior National Archery Championships

• Sub-Junior − Sub-Junior National Archery Championships

• Mini Nationals − Mini National Archery Championships

• Para − Para National Archery Championships

Senior - Senior National Archery Championships

The champions for seniors are listed in the tables below

Senior Recurve National Archery Championships

Senior Compound National Archery Championships

Senior Indian Round National Archery Championships

Junior - Junior National Archery Championships

The championships for the juniors are listed in the table below −

Junior Recurve, Compound, and Indian Round National Archery Championships

Sub-Junior - Sub-Junior National Archery Championships

The championships for the sub-juniors are listed in the table below −

Sub-Junior Recurve, Compound, and Indian Round National Archery Championships

Mini Nationals - Mini National Archery Championships

The championships for the mini-national archery are listed in the table below −

Under 14 National Archery Championship

Under 9 National Archery Championship

Para - Para National Archery Championships

The championships for the para national archery are listed in the table below −

Para National Archery Championship

Archery - Surprising Facts

Archery is a sport that is full of fun and players can play individually or in teams. Archery is very popular all over the world and it has also made a place in the Olympics. There are many surprising facts about archery and we will mention some of them here.

Usage of bows and arrows

There is a belief that bows and arrows were used 25,000 years ago. But it is also said that the time goes back to 72,000 years.

Oldest sport

Archery is considered as one of the oldest sports.

Derivation of the term archery

The term archery was derived from the Latin term arcus whose meaning is bow and arrow.

Archery in Olympics

Archery became a part of the Olympics in 1900. From 1924, it was excluded and then again included in 1972.

Quiver

It is a bag which is used to hold the arrows.

Robin Hood

Robin Hood is the term used when the arrow of a competitor is split. Robin Hood was an archer who split the arrow of his competitor from his arrow and won the competition.

Banning of Golf

King James II banned golf in 1457 stating that it is a waste of time. He did so seeing the archery skills.

First compound bow

The first compound bow was developed 500 years ago.

First archery competition

England was the first country that organized an archery competition in the 1500s.

Dominant eye

Archers use their dominant eye to shoot at the target. This is the reason that right-handed archers use the left eye while left-handed archers use the right one.

Safest sport

Archery is considered as one of the safest sports. It has been reported that only one player in every 2,000 participants is injured. It is safer than golf and bowling.

Toxophilites

People who love archery are also known as toxophilites. The word is derived from two Greek words which are toxon which means bow and arrow and philos which means loving.

Toxophily

The study of archery is called toxophily.

First book on archery

Roger Ascham wrote the first book on archery in 1545.

First sport for females in the Olympics

Archery was the first game in which the participation of women was allowed.

First medal won by a woman

In the 1904 Olympics, Eliza was the oldest female aged 63 and she won one gold and two bronze medals.

Speed of archery arrows

The speed of the archery arrow after shooting is 150 mph.

Longest archery shot

The longest archery shot was done by a Paralympian and set a Guinness World Record. The shot was accurate and was done by Matt Stutzman who was a Paralympian archer.

First Paralympic Games

The first Paralympic games were held in 1960 in Rome which consisted of 8 sports and archery was one of them.

National sport of Bhutan

Archery is the national sport of Bhutan. It became the national sport of the country in 1971.

Most Olympic gold medals

South Korea has a record of winning most of the gold medals in the Olympics in archery.

Upshot

Upshot is the name of the final arrow shot in an archery competition.

Marking the arrows

Archers mark their arrows with full names, signatures, or by color.

3D archery

3D archery is a sport in which archers have to shoot at life-size models of different animals.

Boss

Target face is attached to the target and this target is known as the boss.

Mounted archery

Mounted archery was developed in the Iron Age and it was used to replace chariots in an army in the Bronze Age.

Different styles and disciplines

Archery has many disciplines and styles and some of them are target archery, 3D archery, field archery, and traditional archery.

Strict rules and regulations

The rules and regulations of archery are very strict and include equipment, shooting distances, scoring systems, etc.

Reduce stress and increase relaxation

Archery is a game which can be used for relaxation and reducing stress.

Youngest medal winner in Olympics

Denise Parker from the USA is the youngest winner as she won a bronze medal at the age of 15 years in 1998.

Olympic torch

Antonio Rebello shot an arrow with fire to light the Olympic torch in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.

Toughest discipline of archery

Mounted archery is considered as the most difficult discipline of archery.

World’s greatest archer

Howard Hill is considered as the world’s greatest archer as he is the winner of 196 competitions.

Archery in Astrology

Sagittarius is a zodiac sign that is represented by the archer.

Archery - FAQs

Archery is one of the most popular sports in the world. It is also a part of the Olympics and many competitions are held in which men and women can take part to win medals. There are many questions which people may ask regarding archery and some of them are given below.

1. What steps shall we take to improve our shooting skills?

You need to practice a lot to become a perfect archer. You can adopt different ways of practicing the sport. You can start shooting at the target at the nearby range. After becoming an expert, you can increase the range and this should be done consistently. You can use different devices for practicing.

2. Is it necessary that archers should be strong?

An archer has to be strong enough to take part in a competition is a misconception. The reality is that archers should be strong enough to hold a bow and shoot the arrows as per the requirement. Archers have to use arrows of different sizes that they have to carry in a quiver.

3. Is archery a dangerous sport?

No! Archery is not a dangerous sport though it consists of sharp arrows but still, it is considered as one of the safest sports in the world. According to a study out of 2,000 participants, only one participant is injured.

4. Is any license needed to participate in the archery sport?

License may not be required but it depends on the country where you reside. If you belong to the USA, there is no need for any license. For having a bow and arrows. You may need a license if you want to use a bow and arrow for hunting.

5. Is there any effect of weather on archery?

The weather may affect your shooting style. If you live in a place where the weather is cold, your bow shoot may become slow. Cold weather also leads to the reduction in the speed of arrows as the air is dense. Bows and arrows are designed in such a way that they have the ability to curb the effect of weather up to a certain extent.

6. Do I need proper fitness to practice archery?

It is not required to have a good body shape and physical fitness. Upper and lower body strength is required for practice as you have to hold the bow and then pull the arrow and shoot it to the target. You will become stronger when you practice archery consistently.

7. How can I keep my bow and arrow safely when not in use?

You have to keep your bow and arrows on the rack mounted on the wall. The equipment should be kept at a place out of reach of the children. Do not store the bow in such a way that its weight is exerted on a single panel as the bow may get damaged. You can also have a bow and arrow case which will help in storing them.

8. Shall I open both eyes or close one of them while shooting?

If you close one eye and open the other, it is easy to shoot at the target. The eye that you will open for shooting is known as the dominant eye. If both eyes are open, it may cause confusion and you may miss the shot.

9. Arrows of which material is best?

Arrows made up of fiberglass or aluminum are considered best as their cost is low and have a long life. Arrows made up of aluminum have low weight and can be easily bent. Carbon arrows are a little expensive and best for tough shooting.

10. At which age shall children start practicing archery?

Children should start practicing archery when they are of 6 years or more. The children do not have much strength before this age to hold a bow and shoot arrows.

11. Which types of bows are considered best to practice archery?

Crossbows are considered as the best bows to practice archery. This bow is different from other types of bows like long bow and recurve bow which are used for traditional archery. Recurve and longbows are beautiful and you can see them in different movies.

The next comes the compound bows which are used for hunting. These bows are very strong and their main parts work with the help of a pulley system.

12. What kind of dress is required in tournaments or for practice?

If you want to choose a dress for a tournament, you will have to contact the organizer to know the dress code. If there is no dress code, then following instructions have to be followed that is provided by the National Field Archery Association −

• Dress as per your comfort and also take the weather into account. Light clothes are best for the summer season and you can also go for sunglasses if the environment is full of sunlight.

• Shoes with open toes should not be worn.

• Clothes that provide a lot of relaxation should be avoided

• Jeans and denim material are not allowed for females.

• Females are not allowed to wear skirts that are too short

13. What is the lifetime of a bowstring?

The lifetime of a bowstring is 3 years but if you find any damage, you can go for an early replacement

14. What distance shall I choose for shooting?

The average distance should be 20 yards especially if you are practicing for hunting. It is recommended to shoot from twice the distance so that you can shoot well in emergency situations. The average distance for the indoor practice lies between 20 and 32 yards. The best idea is to practice shooting from different distances to become an expert archer.

15. How much time is needed to shoot all six arrows?

Players have to shoot three arrows in two minutes and six arrows in four minutes.

16. What happens if rules are breached?

Players may be penalized and even be banned.

17. Who governs archery in the UK?

Archery in the UK is governed by the Grand National Archery Society.