Change in Para-Archery competition structure

As World Archery has explained several times, we have tried to include the compound team as well as the individual compound competition in the Paralympic Games. This has not happened. After discussions with many athletes and coaches World Archery has created a competition structure which will be fairer for everyone.

From 2014 there will be: 

• Open class recurve for men
• Open class recurve for women
• Open class recurve mixed team
• Open class compound for men
• Open class compound for women
• Open class compound mixed team
• Open class W1 for men
• Open class W1 for women
• Open class W1 mixed team

This means that everyone will have the possibility of winning two medals, individual and mixed team. This is much better than the present situation where recurve archers are able to win two medals and everyone else just one.

The open W1 class may have a mixture of equipment used by the athletes.

Archers wishing to shoot recurve but with difficulties with the hands may use a release aid.

For those who wish to shoot a compound bow they may do so provided they use what is basically a recurve sight. The compound scope, peep sight and leveller or "bubble" may no longer be used. There is a limitation on the poundage for the compound bows of 45lb for both men and women.

At present there are no women classified as W1 so if, for a little while, there are not enough women to make a competition, then they will shoot in the W1 open men’s division, against the men.

At the World Para Championships in Bangkok all new athletes and any with a review classification will be classified under the current rules which includes a minimum of 15 points in the lower limbs. They will also be classified under the new system which requires a minimum of 25 points in the lower limb.

Other archers will be classified under the new points system as they lose matches and therefore drop out of the competition. Team Captains are asked to provide a list of their athletes with their current classifications to the Head of Classification no later than lunch time on the Official Practice day.

Everyone who is to be classified MUST bring with them the details of their physical condition written in English and signed by their medical practitioner and which will contain the details of that person’s registration by the country’s medical council or licensing body.

The Para-Archery Committee and the Classifiers’ Committee repeat that the new level of lower limb points applies for INTERNATIONAL tournaments only. What sort of points’ level a country wishes to use for its own domestic competitions is for the individual country to decide.

Carole A HICKS
Para-Archery Committee