Away from home: first-time international athletes at student worlds

“It’s a lot friendlier than I expected,” said Great Britain’s Amyce AURORA SMITH. “And a little more nerve-wracking a well.”

“I had a tough time getting into my normal routine but as soon as I go over my nerves I started scoring better.”

Trips abroad certainly have their perks, too. In Legnica, the British team – like many others – have team management and coaches looking after them, taking care of schedules and logistics and keeping the group together.

“Back home, I don’t have that,” Amyce said while laughing.

Both recurve archers Thomas VOS, from the Netherlands, and the USA’s Lauren KATES agreed that shooting against archers they follow on the World Cup and international circuit is a privilege.

“It’s a dream,” said KATES. “I’m competing against some of the people I have been watching on Archery TV.”

Those bigger names in Legnica include Toja CERNE, the Slovenian that picked up individual silver at the second Archery World Cup stage in Medellin, and London 2012 bronze medallist Mariana AVITIA.

(Side note: AVITIA’s Mexican teammate Alejandra VALENCIA shot an impressive 341 for 36 arrows at 70 metres to close out her qualification round earlier this week.)

Not shooting against AVITIA and VALENCIA in the recurve women’s competition in Legnica was rookie international Alida KVAMMEM. Usually a left-handed recuve archer, she was shooting in the compound event right-handed.

“Because of back problems,” the young Norwegian lady explained.

She was positive about her performance, too: “I was not so nervous as I thought I would be, but when I was I managed to deal with it.”

Most of all, KVAMMEM repeated what everyone competing in Legnica for the first time has said: “shooting among some great names is… great!”

Watch finals matches from the Legnica 2014 World Archery University Championships live on YouTube, see the official photo albums and check the full results.