BBC Sport Academy | Other Sport | Hit the target with our archery guide

The Lord of the Rings movies have inspired thousands of people to take up archery, and the sport in the UK has never been bigger.
If you fancy giving it a try, check out our guide and get shooting!

The sport
The use of the bow and arrow goes back to the ancient Egyptians, but it wasn't until 1900 that Archery first appeared in the Olympics.

The aim of the game is simple. Archers must hit a target consisting of five coloured rings. The closer to the centre of the target the arrow lands, the more points are scored.

Equipment
Modern bows are made from laminations of wood with carbon fibre, fibreglass, ceramic or hard foam. The arrows consist of a carbon or aluminium shaft with a steel head.

At the Olympics, the targets will be 122cm and 80cm in diameter and competitors must stand a distance of 70m from the target.

Getting started
If you feel inspired to take aim, the Grand Archery Society should be your first target. Give them a ring or drop them an e-mail and they'll point you in the right direction.

The Grand Archery Society
Lilleshall National Sports Centre
Newport
Shropshire
TF10 9AT
Tel: 01952 677888
Fax: 01952 606019
Email: enquiries@gnas.org


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