Archery

Archery is a sport that uses a bow and arrows. A long time ago, people used bows to hunt and fight. Today, people use them to shoot at round targets for fun and sport. Archers need steady hands and good aim.

The Target

Archery targets have colorful rings in the middle. The very center is called the bullseye and is worth the most points. Archers try to hit as close to the center as they can. Targets are placed far away, so it takes skill to hit them.

An old picture of an archer shooting a bow from horseback.
An old picture of an archer shooting a bow from horseback. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Bow

There are many kinds of bows, like the recurve and the compound bow. Archers pull back a string to fire their arrow. They must stand still and breathe calmly when they shoot. One small shake can miss the target.

Fun Facts

  • Archery is over 10,000 years old.
  • Robin Hood is a famous made-up archer from England.
  • Archery became an Olympic sport in 1900.

Did You Know?

The Olympic archery target is 70 meters away, which is longer than a swimming pool.