World number one Gibson hopes for Olympic chance
WORLD number one Ella Gibson is “hopeful” compound archery will be given a place in the 2028 Olympics after a bid was made this summer.
While recurve archery is contested in the Olympics, compound archery – which uses a much shorter bow – is not, although it is in the Paralympics.
World Archery submitted a proposal in July for the sport to be included in the Los Angeles Games, and Cirencester’s Gibson, left, told the BBC: “I’m hopeful that it happens.
“It’s actually for indoor archery, which is a little bit different. At the moment at the Paralympics it’s outdoors when they shoot – at 50m for compound or 70m for recurve. The bid has been for 18m for compound [indoors].
“It will definitely be something interesting and different and I hope that it happens.”
Gibson, 22, won the World Games title – a multi-discipline international tournament for events not contested in the Olympics – for the first time this year to move to the top of the world rankings.
She also took a European Championships
title, a European Indoor Championships title and three World Cup round gold medals in the last 12 months.
However, as the sport is not in the Olympics, Gibson does not receive any funding and has to rely on winning prize money to train and compete.
“Every international I do costs between £1,500 and £3,000 so it’s quite pricey and the only way I can make money from it at the moment is by winning and winning medals, which adds another whole stress to competing,” Gibson said.
“You need a win just to break even never mind actually make money.”
Support from family has been invaluable so much so Gibson’s parents - who run an ice cream shop in Cirencester have converted a room into an indoor training hall for her to practice shooting ahead of the upcoming indoor season.
“It’s going to be a huge help to me to be able to have something that I can go and train at, day or night, no matter what time and work in my own kit at my own pace, is incredibly useful for my indoor season,” Gibson added.