The official Team GB fanzone in Kings Cross has not only welcomed returning athletes from the Paris Olympic Games, but 5,250 keen archers in have-a-go sessions between Saturday 3 and Tuesday 6 August.
Supported by live music and onstage entertainment, the four-day event saw the sessions delivered by Archery GB staff and volunteers from local archery clubs. Using soft archery kits, people of all ages and abilities were able to experience the buzz of the Olympics on UK soil and have a shot at the Olympic sport.
On the final day of the event, visitors to the fanzone were lucky enough to welcome home Team GB Olympic archers Megan Havers, Bryony Pitman, Penny Healey, Tom Hall, Conor Hall and Alex Wise as they joined in on the action after returning from Paris.
Having completed their Olympic matches, first with the team events where both the men’s and women’s team finished ninth, and then the individual competition, all the Team GB archers got stuck in to help those wanting to give archery a try and enjoy all that the sport has to offer.
Gayle Pink, Head of Participation at Archery GB, says: “It was wonderful to see so many people getting involved in the have-a-go sessions. Particularly off the back of what has been an epic Olympic Games, the fanzone was a great opportunity to celebrate the Team GB archers and showcase the benefits and joys of our incredible sport.”
Against the stunning backdrop of Les Invalides and in front of a huge 8,000 strong crowd, Team GB’s archers gave it their all against some really tough competition.
Having made it into the last 16 of the women’s individual competition, Olympic debutant, 16-year-old Megan Havers faced the first ranked archer and new record holder from Korea, Lim Sihyeon. While Megan was able to split the set point in the first end of the match, she was unable to gain more points on the Korean archer, resulting in a 7-1 win. Sihyeon went on to take the women’s individual title, leaving Paris with a clean sweep of gold medals, adding the team and mixed team titles to her collection.
Commenting on her performance, Megan says: “Finishing where I am [9th] and shooting how I have has just made me hungry for the next Olympics. I can’t wait to see what four years brings for me. I’ve come into this whole Olympics absolutely blind to what it would be like. I feel like I handled it okay, but now I know for all the rest of my competitions how I can handle it.”
Following his successful qualification into the last 16 in the individual men’s competition, Tom Hall competed in the 1/8 round against third ranked German archer, Florain Unruh. While Tom was able to earn three set points through five ends of shooting, in the end, the German archer took the win 7-3.
Just missing out on places in the last 16 of the individual men’s competition, GB archers Alex Wise and Conor Hall both finished in 17th place, while second-time Olympian Bryony Pitman finished 17th in the women’s individual competition and Penny Healey placed 33rd in what was her Olympics debut.
All eyes will now be on the Paralympic archers representing Great Britain at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games which start with the ranking round on 29 August.
With thanks to Archery GB
