Archery: Stacked up alongside everything else that’s in front of them between now and the Rio Olympics, this weekend’s Australian Archery matchplay final in Adelaide looks fairly small beer for Australia’s premiere recurve quartet.
But in reality, it’s so much more. When Ryan Tyack, Matt Gray, Taylor Worth and Alec Potts step forward to do battle on Saturday, it will be the start of a nail-biting journey.
Because three into four does not go. And only the best three archers will be going to this year’s World Championships in Copenhagen. And if you don’t make the trio in Denmark, your Olympic dream may be over.
Sunday morning Tyack, Gray, Worth and Potts will jump on a plane to fly to China for the first Archery World Cup.
It’s here where their results really will count, but ask any of the four if they’d like to get an edge by winning the matchplay final on Saturday, and the answer would be an emphatic ‘yes’.
On paper all four could mount a strong case for World Championship and, ultimately, Olympic selection.
Ryan Tyack won last year’s World Indoor title, and has dominated the domestic scene over the summer.
Matt Gray has been to two Olympics already, and has that big event experience money can’t buy.
Taylor Worth was at the last Olympics, and Alec Potts is the fresh new face who has been getting better every time he picks up a bow.
“It’s pretty intense,” Taylor Worth said.
“We’ve all been training together in Brisbane this week, trying to build up a bit of team spirit, for whoever the team might be. So it’s a bit bittersweet.
“World Championships is the biggest event to qualify spots for the Olympics. This weekend is so important to get back into that competition preparation, competition format, and getting back into the rhythm of competing.”
Saturday will also see the finals of the women’s recurve and the men’s and women’s compound matchplay final.
The matchplay finals will be contested in the heart of the Adelaide CBD, in Victoria Square, continuing archery’s reputation as a sport with the best venues in the world!
The Australian team will fly out early Sunday morning for the Shanghai World Cup.
ROSS SOLLY FOR ARCHERY AUSTRALIA
