Archery

Archery is one of the oldest sports known: archers have been shooting arrows from a bow, aiming to strike the very centre of a distant target, since the year 1583! World Championships have been held since 1931.

Field involves shooting at stationary targets of different sizes set at varying distances, heights (up and down) and angles, around a course in countryside terrain. Shooting distances are from 5 to 60 metres, with targets either ‘marked’ or ‘unmarked’ (distance away given, or not). There are competitions using both recurve and barebow bows, which are more basic and traditional than the compound bow. Competitors shoot 3 arrows at each target.

Target: Competitors use compound bows – technically advanced bows with a levering system of pulleys and cables – to shoot at stationary circular targets 50 metres away. There are classes for women, men and mixed teams (1 woman, 1 man). All athletes shoot 72 arrows in the ranking round and 15 arrows in the elimination round; there is a single-arrow shoot-out in the event of a tie.