Archers aspire for minds as sharp as their arrows

  Archers competing at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games say the athletes who can best hold their nerve will be the ones walking away with a medal.   Mental training has become an integral part of athletes' conditioning and Danish coach Henrik TOFT (DEN), who competed at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games and the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, said it cannot be underestimated.   "The mental training happens every day as part of shooting," he said. "You don't just practise shooting. You rehearse everything to get yourself in the right frame of mind. It's all part of the process of bettering yourself."   For many athletes the Youth Olympic Games is the most prestigious event they have ever been involved in, but they say they will try to forget the enormity of the occasion when competition begins at Kallang Field on Wednesday.   "I'll take a deep breath and then count to five seconds," said Yasaman SHIRIAN (IRI). "I will keep telling myself that I have done all the hard work, I have done the training, so just relax."   France's Julien ROSSIGNOL echoed SHIRIAN's approach. "It has to be thought of as another training session, to forget that this is a big competition," he said. "That way I can remain calm."   Mark NESBITT (GBR), one of the few full-time archers at the Youth Olympic Games, has a psychologist to maximise mental preparation. "You're always a wee (little) bit nervous and my heart will be racing before every shot," said NESBITT. "But as soon as I draw, I know how to relax."   Team GB coach Jan MARTIN (GBR) gave an insight into NESBITT's training. "Part of the process is remembering that you've earned the right to be here," said MARTIN. "Yes, you know that you're at a big tournament and are representing your country, but you've earned that and therefore you have to have confidence in your own ability."   Seventeen-year-old Miranda LEEK (USA) highlighted how hard it can be to remain calm during competition by recalling an attack of nerves she suffered at the Youth World Championships in 2009. "People say archery is 90 per cent mental," said LEEK. "I remember being at the world championships last year and I was shaking all over. I don't think there was one part of my body that wasn't shaking."   But USA coach Laval FALKS (USA) remembers it differently. "Miranda kept turning around and asking me if I could see her shaking," said FALKS. "She wasn't shaking at all, she was a rock. She was like The Rock of Gibraltar."   YONS ap/kt/sg Edited by World Archery Communication