Archery: Then and now

Bows and arrows have been used for hunting and warfare since prehistoric times.

Archery developed as a sport in Medieval England, where tournaments were held to encourage the military art of the Archer in peacetime.

Today’s bows are made from state-of-the-art fibreglass, designed to fire aluminium and carbon graphite arrows at speeds of more than 150mph.

How to play – and win

Points are scored by hitting a target of five coloured rings. The closer the arrow lands to the centre of the target, the higher the score.

At the Olympic Games, the targets are 122cm and 80cm in diameter. Archers shoot their arrows from a distance of 70m.

The Olympic Archery competition includes both Team and Individual events for men and women. Archers compete head-to-head through a series of knock-out ‘championship’ rounds until only the medalists remain.

Archery at the Games

Archery featured in early modern Olympic Games as one of the only sports open to women. It was dropped from the Olympic programme in 1920, but returned in Munich 1972.

The Team competition was introduced at the Seoul 1988 Games.

Facts about Archery

• In the 14th century, Archery was considered so important to the defence of the nation that an English law made it compulsory for every man aged between seven and 60.
• The first known Archery competition was organised in Finsbury, London, in 1583. It attracted 3,000 participants.
• Hollywood actress Geena Davis took part in US trials for the Sydney 2000 Olympic team.

Jargon buster

• Boss: the name for an Archery target.
• Nock: To place an arrow on a bow string.
• Robin Hood: describes a shot that splits the shaft of an arrow already in the target.
• Spotter: An official scorer who uses a telescope to identify the arrow’s exact position.
• Bowman: An archer.

Get involved

You might be able to sign up for an Archery course at your local leisure or outdoor sports centre, but the best way to learn is to join an accredited club. For details, see 'related websites'.