Leamington archer Naomi Folkard yesterday (Sunday 27 July) left GB for the BOA holding camp in Macau where the GB archery squad (3 ladies and 3 men) will make their final preparations and acclimatisation for the Beijing Olympics.
Folkard, now 24, has had an excellent year to date, both at home and abroad. Highlights include individual silver in the European Championships and team gold in a World Cup event in San Domingo. Since her last international outing at the end of June to the World Cup event in France, where the GB ladies claimed bronze, she has been training hard. In addition she has entered a number of major shoots at home over the last 3 weeks in which she produced some superb scores, sometimes in difficult conditions. Against stiff competition, she won the Bedford FITA 70 and Olympic head to head tournament, the Meriden Double FITA 70 competition, and the Cleve Archers FITA Star. Last Saturday she went to Andover to take part in the first day of their Double FITA Star and scored an amazing 1341 despite a miss at 50 metres when her site was incorrectly positioned.
Folkard finished 11th in the Athens Olympics, and this time hopes to bring back an individual medal. Her world ranking reached 9th a few weeks ago, but with no recent international tournaments, it has now dropped to 12th. The GB ladies’ team, which includes Athens bronze medallist, Alison Williamson (Long Mynd) and Charlotte Burgess (Bruntwood) are much fancied for a team medal. The three ladies, who are good friends and spend much time together, shoot extremely well as a team. They have been so successful on the international circuit that they are now ranked 2 in the World, behind Korea. However, they face stiff competition, not only from Korea, but also from the host nation China, Italy and Poland, all of whom are very close together in the complicated points ranking system.
Archery will start on the first day of competition in Beijing and will be completed by Day 7. Rather sadly all the archers will miss the opening ceremony in order to conserve their energy for competition. Folkard will also miss the closing ceremony, as her place in the GB team for the World Field Archery Championships at the beginning of September has now been confirmed, and she needs to return to GB early in order to prepare for that.
On leaving for Macau Folkard said: “I have worked really hard over the last 4 years preparing for Beijing and I am now very much looking forward to the event, and will do my very best to bring back a medal. I am particularly grateful to my coaches, Barry and June Farndon, at Coventry’s Dunlop Club. I just can’t thank them enough for their unflagging help over the last 15 years. Assistance from local sponsors, solicitors Wright Hassall and estate agent Malcolm Hawkesford has also been invaluable.”