16 February 2011 - Nicky HUNT awarded funding to make recurve switch

Nicky HUNT awarded funding to make recurve switch London – 16 February 2011 Nicky HUNT at Commonwealth Games 2010    Nicky HUNT (GBR), the world number one compound archer seeking to switch to recurve archery for the 2012 Olympics, has been awarded funding by UK Sport.   HUNT, who still expects to compete in some compound tournaments, returned to recurve archery in the wake of her success at the Commonwealth Games. UK Sport, the body which allocates funding to Britain's Olympic sports, has now decided to financially support the Ipswich 26-year-old's bid to reach the Games.   "I've been told I will receive some UK Sport backing, which is really important," HUNT told BBC Sport. "They can see the potential. I'm on the Olympic programme and fighting for my space at 2012."   "I've been quite successful with my compound and a lot of that stuff is transferable, especially the mental side of archery, which is a big factor," she added.   HUNT hopes to take at least seven months away from her job to focus on her recurve training, and will stay on the programme if she continues to progress.   "I shot recurve as a junior so it's not something new to me," she said. "We're a couple of months in now and it's all going really well. I think I can be fairly successful with it."   "Our outdoor season starts in April and I'd hope to be shooting in domestic recurve tournaments from then onwards, and then international tournaments towards the end of the year."   British archers returned from the 2008 Beijing Olympics with little to show for their trip—the women's team lost out to France for the bronze medal, while no individual competitors made it past the last 16. But GB Archery has since replaced its head coach and the team is now led by American Lloyd BROWN, who helped guide the United States to Olympic gold in 1996 and bronze in 2000.   A maximum of three female archers can be named in the British team for 2012, and HUNT will be looking to oust one of a trio comprised of Olympic veteran Alison WILLIAMSON, Naomi FOLKARD and Charlotte BURGESS. Selection trials will take place in the spring of 2012.
Source: Ollie Williams, BBC Sport Edited by World Archery Communication