ParalympicsGB archery coachs, Andrea Gales and Charlotte Burgess, give us some insight into the para team’s training and what we can expect from the Paralympic Games.
In two weeks’ time, the GB para archery team will move from the Paris Prep Camp to the Paralympic Village ready to compete. The team’s coaches, Andrea Gales and Charlotte Burgess, who will also be attending the Games, talk us through the process the athletes have gone through to get to where they are now.
Performance Coach – World Class Para Squad
Joined the AGB team – 2018
The last year
“With the Tokyo 2020 Games taking place a year later than planned, it’s been a shortened cycle this time. To win spots at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, we had the World and the European Championships last summer which were just three weeks apart and then the final World qualification tournament earlier this year.
“Whilst we did hope to have more athletes qualify, Paralympic archery has moved on phenomenally over the last few years, so we’re very pleased with the team we have. We have seasoned performers with some returning Paralympians, alongside a debutant, so it’s an exciting place for us to be.”
Games closer to home
“We feel the Games being held in Paris gives us a bit of a home field advantage. A lot of the athletes have family and friends coming out to watch, so having faces in the crowd is something we’ve had to prepare them for. Of course, in Tokyo we didn’t have a crowd at all, so we’ve been getting ready for that.”
Preparations
“In terms of final preparations, we hosted an international training camp at Lilleshall with athletes from multiple countries taking part, including France, Hungary, and Ireland. We invited local school children to come along to cheer, to create an atmosphere and help prepare the athletes for the noise and the crowds. To prepare as best as possible, we want the athletes to adjust to the prospect of different timings in Paris, so we have got some evening shooting planned as well.
“I think we're in a good place, so we're quietly confident. All we can do is prepare our team as best we can, go in confident and know that we've left no stone unturned and what happens, happens.
“It's an archery event at the end of the day, it’s just at the biggest show on earth! So, we're trying to keep everybody in the mindset that it's just another archery tournament.”
Performance Coach – World Class Para Squad
Joined the AGB team – January 2015
The last year
“This post-COVID cycle feels like it’s gone by quickly. Once restrictions were lifted, the athletes had to get used to competitions on the field of play alongside others, and with public interactions again. Returning to ‘normal’ competition environments, being in the public view, competing in front of crowds, as well as getting their friendships back with our own team and other nations, made it an interesting transition year.
“The selection process this year was longer for a couple of the athletes, which stretched out this phase of the competition season. With final selections not being until late July, it added some stress for a couple of the athletes as the date crept closer, but it did mean that they were able to continue to compete without expectation from the Games, which was good for them at times.”
Games closer to home
“The Games being closer to home is also quite different, but the athletes have managed it well, putting strategies in place to make sure they can continue to perform.
“It is more likely that the athletes’ family and friends will come to watch the Games in Paris so as a team we have had conversations to manage the expectations of what this will look like. All the athletes have their individual situations, but everyone’s priority is the competition, so our focus has been on making sure plans to see family and friends are communicated before we head out to Paris, to avoid it becoming a stressor when we’re out there.
“One of our athletes has opted for their family to not come out; they've got a small child and decided it would be an unfair situation to put them in, so they've had a really good conversation about that.”
Preparations
“We’re in the final Games preparation phase now and it's coming off brilliantly. We’re improving with each performance as we get closer and have received information from ParalympicsGB and the International Paralympic Committee on the event details.
“No matter the Games, it's always a different environment and there’s a slightly different look and set up each time, so the information we receive from our Olympic team and from watching the coverage on the TV helps us to prepare.
“As a coach, as well as paying attention to the Olympic Games, I’m receiving information from our coaches out there who are describing the atmosphere and set up to me – the traits of the field, what it feels like, what it sounds like. This is crucial information for the athletes to know about as they don't get much practice on the finals field, so the more they know now, the better they’ll perform. There wasn’t as much coverage available to us from the Tokyo Games, so working closely with our Olympic team has been an exciting stage and we feel we have an advantage in that sense.”
Keep an eye out on the Archery GB socials to see when, where, and how you can support the team and support them at the Paralympic Games!
