Archery Ireland

Accessible Archery

Archery Ireland

Accessible Archery

Archery stands out as one of the most inclusive and accessible sports, offering numerous opportunities for disabled individuals to participate. The ideal starting points are attending a ‘Have a Go’ session or enrolling in a beginner’s course.

From there, you might opt to join a club for regular participation, engage in local competitions, or advance through the different levels of archery, aiming for national or even international levels of competition.

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Para or Differently abled archery

Archery stands out as a remarkably accessible sport, with para archery being among the founding sports of the Paralympics. Ireland’s first Paralympic medal (and first gold medal) was won in the 1960 Paralympic Games in Rome for the sport of Archery by Joan Horan. This was followed up in the 1968 Games in Tel Aviv by Rosaleen Gallagher who claimed the silver medal for Archery.

Para archery encompasses various competition categories tailored to archers with specific classifications, including W1, compound open, and recurve open.

Archery stands out as a remarkably accessible sport, with para archery being among the founding sports of the Paralympics. Para archery closely resembles its able-bodied counterpart, allowing para archers to compete in both the Olympics and Paralympics, provided they meet the qualification standards. To ensure fairness, para archers may utilize assistive devices in competition, leveling the playing field against able-bodied competitors.

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Assistive devices for para archers

Differently abled archers have access to various assistive devices in archery, such as draw or release aids, mouth tabs, and wheelchairs, which serve to create an equitable playing field. Classified athletes may also participate alongside able-bodied athletes in target archery events while utilising their assistive devices.

Visually impaired archers are categorized based on the extent of their impairment. Archers in the VI1 category, along with some less impaired athletes, wear blindfolds during competitions. These visually impaired athletes shoot over a 30-meter distance, relying on tactile sights for aiming, and they may have an assistant to aid with loading arrows and scoring.

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Classification for para archery

To participate in any of these categories, archers must undergo classification to determine eligibility. Classification serves to establish whether an archer can utilise assistive devices and categorises athletes based on the extent of their impairment to uphold fairness in competitions.

Athletes in the recurve open and compound open categories typically experience impairments affecting either the upper or lower half or one side of their bodies. Meanwhile, athletes in the W1 category usually exhibit impairments affecting both the upper and lower halves of their bodies, as well as the torso and at least three limbs.

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Coaching differently abled people

When coaching a differently abled individual, recognise that they are the authority on their own requirements. Engage in conversations with the differently abled archers you coach regarding their capabilities, goals, and specific needs. Discuss with them what support they require from you and how you can facilitate an enjoyable and productive archery experience, aiding them in their progression as archers.

Accessible Archery

Archery Ireland

Accessible Archery

Archery Ireland