Archery is one of the most ancient sports still practised today. It involves using a bow and arrow. In ancient times, people created bows and arrows for hunting and survival, but over time, it evolved into a luxury activity and later became a recreational hobby. Eventually, it turned into an Olympic sport.
The 1900s saw efforts to modernise archery. The first Grand National Archery Society meeting was held in York in 1844. Archery made its debut in the Summer Olympics in 1900 and has been featured in 18 editions of the Games since then.
Recurve and Compound Archery
The traditional form of archery featured in the Olympics is known as Recurve Archery. Compound Archery was introduced to the sport in the 1960s.
Recurve bows are simpler and more traditional, linked to ancient figures like Arjuna from Indian epics. Although modern recurve bows have some technological advancements, they still rely primarily on the archer’s skill. Recurve bows have been used in Olympic archery since 1900, with Korean athletes often excelling in the sport.
Compound bows, invented in the 1960s, use cams and cables to reduce the draw weight while maintaining high arrow speed. This technology enhances accuracy and consistency, particularly for those with less upper-body strength.
How far is the archery target?
A common question is: how far is the archery target actually? When watching on television, the arrow seems to hit the board almost instantly, making it appear as though the target is only 20-23 metres away from the archer.
However, this is not the case. In Olympic archery with recurve bows, the target is set at 70 metres. For compound archery, the target is placed at 50 metres. The longer distance requires greater accuracy.
