Making Youth Olympic appearance enough of gold medal says Nicole-Marie Tagle

Seventeen-year-old Nicole Marie Tagle wears a Philippines shirt at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

A former pistol shooter, Nicole switched sports in 2014 due to a change in school situation but found in archery the precision and discipline that she’d already been used to since a very young age.

Three years later, she was already shooting for the Philippines senior team at an Asia Cup event in Bangkok. There she finished fourth individually and in the top 10 in both team and mixed team competitions.

“I wasn’t really thinking of getting serious in my sport. I was usually thinking that it was just a hobby of my own, but my coach saw that I could do better and become a professional athlete,” she said.

“Now I’m here at the Youth Olympic Games, which is an honour. It’s like I already got a gold medal just for being here.”

Nicole seeded 23rd over the 72-arrow 60-metre ranking round with 629 out of a possible 720 points. She wasn’t pleased with that score but sports a laid-back attitude as she advances to the eliminations.

“I like to work hard for what I like and see from there. I don’t expect any particular achievement, all I know is that I have to give my best every time I can to improve and enjoy what I do,” she said.

Nicole will face Alyssia Tromans-Ansell of Great Britain in the first round of individual eliminations on Monday afternoon.

If it’s something that’ll give her an edge, it’s the step-up in international experience.

“I’m also part of the national senior team in the Philippines and I was just lucky to be at the right age for this Youth Olympic Games. I shoot with the senior team, I get to shoot with the best of the best in my country and I think that’s one of my advantages here,” said Nicole.

She’s also already beaten Tromans-Ansell once at this event when, paired with Hendrik Oun of Estonia, Nicole won her second round match in the mixed nation mixed team event.

The third edition of the Youth Olympic Games takes place on 12-17 October 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.