A twelve-person archery team featuring Paralympic gold medallist Danielle Brown and 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Alison Williamson has been named to represent England at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi after a two day selection shoot was held over the weekend of the 19th and 20th June at the Meriden Archery Club near Coventry.
 
Danielle Brown (pictured), the 2008 Paralympic open individual compound gold medallist, finished second in the women’s compound match behind Nicky Hunt to claim a place in the England team – believed to be the first Paralympian to compete for England in an able-bodied event at the Games.

After taking up archery aged 15, Brown’s commitment to the sport saw her defer her Law degree so that she could concentrate on training in the lead up to Beijing. In addition to her Paralympic medal, she has won gold in the compound at the last two IPC World Championships for archers with a disability.
 
Brown, was delighted with her performance: “I am really happy. I did not think that I would even make it as far as this weekend’s qualifying event so to be selected for the Commonwealth Games team is fantastic.”
 
Four times Olympian Alison Williamson won the women’s recurve match allowing her to qualify for Delhi alongside Amy Oliver and Naomi Folkard who came second and third respectively.
 
Williamson, who won bronze in the recurve at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, is perhaps Britain’s best known archer and has been an international since 1989 when she was first selected for the British national team.
 
Williamson said: “It is a great opportunity for me to go to a Commonwealth Games as an archer. I am looking forward to competing in Delhi and being part of the England Team.”
  
1992 Olympic bronze medallist and Beijing 2008 Olympian Simon Terry comfortably won the men’s recurve match. Terry came out of retirement in 2007 after a 13-year absence from the international scene. He will be joined in Delhi by Larry Godfrey and Alan Wills.
 
For the compound archers, the Commonwealth Games is very much the pinnacle of their participation at a multi-sport event as only recurve archers compete at the Olympics.
 
Selection for the men’s compound team was competitive. The field comprised of a trio of archers (Liam Grimwood, Chris White and Duncan Busby) who had recently claimed bronze in the team compound at the World Cup event in Antalya, Andy Rikunenko who won gold at the European Championships and Paralympic gold medallist John Stubbs.
 
After a tough final day of competition, the men’s compound team for Delhi will comprise of Liam Grimwood, Chris White and Duncan Busby.
 
In the women’s compound event Nicola Simpson, who finished third behind Nicky Hunt and Danielle Brown, broke a European and World masters record in her first 70 metre round shot on Saturday morning scoring 689 points out of a possible 720.


Archery was last at the Commonwealth Games in 1982 when only two medals (men’s and women’s singles) were contested. England’s Mark Blenkarne won the men’s gold in 82’ and is technically still the reigning champion.
 
In Delhi there will be eight categories contested. Medals will be available in the men’s and women’s individual and team compound categories as well as in the men’s and women’s individual and team recurve categories.  The finals of the archery event will take place at India Gate – the iconic Delhi landmark.
 
English Archery Team Manager Hilda Gibson said: “We have a really strong team this year. The qualifying event was a very tough, challenging and competitive process for all involved.
 
“We had some fantastic performances over the weekend, including a British record. The team going to Delhi have all achieved at world level and will be looking for medals.”
 
England Commonwealth Games Chef de Mission Craig Hunter said: “I am delighted to welcome the archers to the English Commonwealth Games team and I wish them every success in Delhi.
 
“The selection of Danielle Brown is an historic moment as she will become the first Paralympian to represent England in an able bodied event at the Games.”
 
Results

Recurve Women            Grand Total
Alison Williamson          3441.00
Amy Oliver                     3434.00            
Naomi Folkard                3381.00
 
Recurve Men                  Grand Total
Simon Terry                     3815.75
Larry Godfrey                  3665.61
Alan Wills                        3659.60
 
Compound Women       Grand Total
Nicky Hunt                       3879.58            
Dani Brown                      3849.55
Nichola Simpson              3849.52
 
Compound Men             Grand Total
Liam Grimwood               3947.93
Chris White                      3932.03
Duncan Busby                  3925.93



The 2010 Commonwealth Games take place in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. They will feature 17 sports - archery, aquatics (swimming, synchronised swimming & diving), athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, rugby 7s, shooting, squash, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling. With the 2012 Olympic Games in London and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Commonwealth Games England is entering a breath-taking four years of sport.

Commonwealth Games England (GCE) is the organisation responsible for selecting and organising England's team at the Commonwealth Games.   England finished second to Australia on the medal table at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games with 36 golds, 40 silvers and 34 bronzes.

Sport England is responsible for building the foundations of sporting success, by creating a world-leading community sport system of clubs, coaches, facilities and volunteers. Their focus is growing and sustaining the numbers of people taking part in sport and improving talent development to help more people excel.
 
For further information about English Archery please go to www.englisharcheryfederation.org.
 
For further information about Commonwealth Games England please contact the Commonwealth Games England press office at Matchtight Ltd on 01225 443 998, 07765 071683 or 07831 755351 or see the CGE’s website at www.weareengland.org