As the bow string is pulled back to the archer’s cheek, time stands still. Not a muscle is moved. Then, suddenly, the arrow flies to the center of the 40 centimeter (16-inch) target 18 meters (59 feet) away.
For the Air Force Warrior Games archers, a Sunday afternoon practice at the Olympic Training Center here demonstrated the quiet, persistent, repetitive practice requirement for archers to consistently hit the mark and represent their service in the competition. The air inside the gymnasium was filled with the soft twang of the bowstring and thud of the arrow striking the target backstop as 10 to 15 archers at a time practiced with recurve and compound bows.
more…