Age 25
Weight 64kg
Height 1.65m
2008 Olympic record 15th individual; 4th team
Target for 2012 “I would really like to win gold – getting through to the finals isn’t enough.”
I first tried archery at a family Scout camp when I was five years old. Then my dad joined the local club and spent most of his time there. The only way for the rest of the family to see him was to start doing archery.
The hardest part of training is shooting when it’s cold in winter.
I can’t wear gloves when I shoot because it would change the feeling in both hands, but I do wear gloves between ends and on the really cold days, I use gel hand warmers inside the gloves.
When I’m shooting I listen to classical music. In the gym I listen to Radio 1. If I hadn’t taken up archery I would probably be in an orchestra – I’ve been playing the violin since I was six, and piano since I was eight.
I do obsess about archery. I never really stop thinking about it, even when I’m doing my weekly food shop.
My typical week
Monday (This is my winter regime …)
Three to four hours of shooting practice followed by 90 minutes of strength and conditioning in the gym (weightlifting and lightweight shoulder exercises to strengthen the stability muscles in my shoulders).
Tuesday
I get together with my team-mates, Alison and Charlotte, for team practice. At 3.30pm we go for a four-mile run. If I’m in good physical shape, my heart rate won’t rise as much in stressful conditions, which helps control the shots. If I compete against somebody who doesn’t do aerobic fitness work, I know I have the advantage.
Wednesday
7-9am: shooting at the Birmingham High Performance Centre. We shoot 70 metres from the line and focus on improving one technical aspect, such as release. I probably shoot 150 arrows in this session. After shooting I train in the gym with Alison and Charlotte. This is followed by soft-tissue therapy and physiotherapy. I take the afternoon off and shoot again in the evening from 7-10pm at my local club.
Thursday
I shoot in my friend’s back garden from 9am-12noon. He has a shed which is 18-metres long (the distance of indoor competitions). I follow this with a five-mile run. After lunch I practise mental work. Archery is about focus, concentration and repetition. I imagine a shot by seeing it or feeling it. When I do imagery work, I feel the shot quite strongly – my other senses are quite hard for me to imagine. 7-10pm: shooting practice.
Friday
The same as Thursday.
Saturday and Sunday
In the summer I have competitions every weekend.
In the winter I’ll spend one of the days doing 3-4 hours of shooting practice, then have a day off.
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