Blind archer targets world championships spot

The Sutton-on-Sea archer took third place at the Worshipful Company of Fletchers British Blind Sport Archery Indoor Championships, at Lilleshall, as he steps up his bid to qualify for the World Para-Archery Championships in Beijing, in September.

Saturday’s championship event was a WA morning round of five-dozen arrows fired at a 60cm target face from 25 metres, followed in the afternoon by a WA VI Indoor-UK record Status round of another five-dozen arrows at a 60cm target from 18 metres.

The Sunday round was a 20-yard Worcester, where archers shot 60 arrows at a 40cm black and white target face, in sets of five arrows in four minutes.

This time there were two target faces, one above the other, with archers shooting 30 arrows at each face.

On Saturday, Stuart, who represents Louth and District Archers, scored 86 at the WA25m from only 22 hits, and 195 at the WA VI Indoor which was from 42 hits.

The handicap adjusted score for the following day was 1,437 which placed him fourth out of the 12 visually impaired Archers.

Coach and mentor Rick Smith said: “There were some mistakes and failings that should have been done better, but the positives outweighed them.

“He came away as the second runner-up, or third place, in Britain, experienced the pressure of competing at national level and maintained his position among the VI hopefuls for a place at the world championships.”

Stuart’s next competition will be at Stoke Mandeville’s Para-Archery Tournament in June which will be the final selection shoot for the British team with three places up for grabs in each classification.