Archers asked: What are you most looking forward to about the Rio Olympics?

If the Olympic schedule stays roughly the same as it was at London 2012, by this time in two years we’ll have crowned new men’s and women’s team champions.

Tuesday marked two years, seven hundred and thirty days or seventeen thousand, five hundred and thirty-one hours until the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics. They’ll be the first Games held in South America, in a city that’s just finished hosting the FIFA World Cup.

Commemorating the date, the Rio 2016 organisers relaunched the Games’ website – with its brand new look – and released a draft test event calendar, as well as promoting it all with a picture taken in archery’s competition venue, the Sambodromo.

The main qualifying tournament for the Games is the Copenhagen 2015 World Archery Championships, which is now less than a year away. Next season, many countries will begin their internal selection processes as well.

It may be two years away, but some archers already have Rio on their minds.

What are you most looking forward to about the next Olympic Games?

1) Rick VAN DER VEN (NED), recurve man: “I just want to improve my result from last time.” Rick came fourth at his first Olympics in London, losing the bronze medal match in a shoot-off to China’s DAI Xiaoxang. “That’s always the main goal. And have fun, of course.”

2) Thomas KOENIG (FRA), recurve man: “It’s two years away, so we can’t guess who will go as part of the French team.”

“It’s special because I’ve heard it’s really beautiful. I need to go sightseeing and check it out, first.”

3) Florian KAHLLUND (GER), recurve man: “I just hope I get there. There was no team for London or Beijing, so I hope three of us get there. I hope I get to go!”

4) Jay LYON (CAN), recurve man: “The Volleyball women?” LYON’s Canadian teammates all laughed, and agreed… “No! I love Olympic competition. I love the atmosphere and my team, the whole Canadian team.”

“The weather’s better than in Winnipeg, too. Back home it’s cold! Brazil’s nice and warm.”

5) Natalie DIELEN (SUI), recurve woman: “When I was younger, I had a friend from Rio. Her family stayed in Switzerland for a while as her mother wanted to study art there.”

“We were very close but when she left we lost touch. As soon as the Olympics were announced in Brazil, I looked her up again – and found that friend. I got in touch, and she hadn’t forgotten me. She hadn’t forgotten French, either!”

“She’s now a famous musician in Brazil and travels a lot, so I hope she’s available during the test event next year – and I can reconnect with someone from my past.”

Natalie has high hopes for the Swiss squad as well: “We need to increase her level, but it would be fantastic to have a team in Rio. All of us need to shoot better – if we are to have a chance at qualifying at the world championships next year, as the standard is so high. But that would be great.”

6) Mel NICHOLS (USA), coach: “Mostly, I’m looking forward to having better performances from the USA team than we did in London. There, we had a fairly new squad, and we didn’t know what to expect – but next time we’ll be very prepared.”

“Plus, seeing all those people there enjoying the football World Cup, I’m looking forward to checking out the beaches!”

7) Juan Rene SERRANO (MEX), recurve man: “It’s my major goal. It’s a dream for me to be on the Olympic podium.”

SERRANO, who’s veteran of two Games, is used to the Olympic cycle. “Two years is halfway to the next big event after London. I’m happy to still be competing.”

“It’s extra special because Mexico and Brazil are on the same continent, and almost the same time zone.”

“It’s almost like home.”

8) Marina CANETTA (BRA), recurve woman: “Just getting a good result – and making archery bigger in Brazil. It’s small at the moment; it’s growing, but it’s still small. We need to make it bigger.”

Follow results from the last stage of the 2014 Archery World Cup in Wroclaw. Check the Rio 2016 website for more information on the Games.

(Main photo credit: © Rio 2016/Alex FERRO)