Archery pits the individual against personal pressure

"Everybody said Yuan Shu-chi was the most naturally gifted athlete and the one least capable of being defeated by pressure. But after this defeat, I believe that she has learned the lesson that a good athlete knows how to harness pressure appropriately to keep themselves in optimum condition, uneasily distracted by the external situation," said Tang Wen-tzu (湯文慈), assistant professor at the Graduate Institute of Coaching Science at the National College of Physical Education and Sports.

But the drama wasn't over. On the afternoon of Aug. 19, Taiwan's male archer Chen Szu-yuan (陳詩園), carrying the hopes of the whole of Taiwan on his shoulders, suffered the same fate as his two teammates, losing his quarterfinal bout with the last shot. With his first nine arrows, he had shot a brilliant six Deka (tens), and was leading Britain's Laurence Godfrey.

To the surprise, once more, of spectators and a global television audience, with his three arrows of the final round, Chen completely lost his rhythm, raised his bow up and down nervously several times and took deep breaths continuously in a bid to steady himself. But he couldn't conquer the pressure and shot a meager seven points with his tenth arrow. His next was an eight, allowing Godfrey to draw level. Once more, it came down to the final shot. Godfrey shot a nine. Chen raised his bow, got ready, then nervously put his bow down again, raised it a second time and finally shot, only to score another inadequate seven.

That was the arrow that broke the hearts of the Taiwanese spectators who were present or watching on television.

"At the Olympic Games, this Mecca of top-level competition, the essence of victory is not whether the athlete's technique is good or not, but whether his mind is strong enough," said Tang Chin-lan (湯金蘭). "So, one is one's own worst enemy; you can only secure victory if you first conquer the pressures that exist in your mind."

Tang believes that coaches have in the past explained this to the athletes concerned and he urges them to prepare their minds for the next contest as soon as they suffer any defeat in a major competition.

"After all," he says," Yuan Shu-chi is too young, a child of 19. Her experience at this Olympics is the best possible lesson for the athletes that victory always seems to be in front of one's eyes but wriggling out of reach; you can only enjoy it when you have conquered yourself."