Archers hit the mark in Athens

After eleven days of competition, Taiwan's Olympic team at Athens has netted just one silver and one bronze, both won by its oft-neglected archers. The six-member squad has now become a focus of attention for Taiwan's sports fans. The Taipei Times caught up with them to hear their story.

A bronze medal was won by Taiwan's women's archery team: Yuan Shu-chi, Wu Hui-ju and Chen Li-ju.

Yuan Shu-chi: 19 years old, from Nantou County, a seven-year archery career.

Taipei Times: You lost the bronze in the individual event by a single point, but led the fight for the bronze in the team event. Are you satisfied with this achievement?

Yuan Shu-chi (袁叔琪): I am still very disappointed, for I was hoping to perform well in the individual event to prove that my victory over South Korea's Olympic champion Yun Mi-jin in the 2000 Asian games was not a fluke.

Ever since I won that gold medal, I have been under enormous pressure. I have not won gold at any international event since then, and even in the selection competition for the Olympics, I came second to [teammate] Wu Hui-ju. People were saying that my victory over Yun had been lucky, that she hadn't been on form. I was much more concerned about my performance in the individual event, and wasn't under so much pressure in the team event.

TT: You won the quarterfinal by defeating Yun, but seemed to lose form in the semis. What happened?

Yuan: Shih Ya-ping (施雅萍), my coach, put the focus of the competition on defeating Yun, so I was fully primed for that confrontation. In fact, neither of us performed well, and I won simply because I was more consistent.

TT: Are you dissatisfied with your coach's direction? Are you planning future improvements?

Yuan: Shih has competed on the national team, and I am grateful for her guidance, but she is after all just 25 and only become a coach at 22. I am rather tomboyish, and we have become like sisters or friends, so she doesn't have the authority of a coach in dealing with me. I feel that she is unable, at the crucial moment, to provide the advice to push me forward.

I think I would like the challenge of working with a South Korean coach. The Korean coach brought in by the Australian team is excellent, helping the Australians win gold at Sydney. I would like to train under her direction.

Wu Hui-ju: 22 years old, from Tainan County, an 11-year archery career.

TT: The media describes you as someone who gets nervous easily. Why is this?

Wu Hui-ju (吳蕙如): I come from a poor family. My mother is a cook in a school and my father is a fishmonger. They are very strict. I am now a university senior, but they don't want me to have a boyfriend until after I graduate. I really cherish everything that archery has given me, for if it weren't for archery, I would not have had the chance to go to university. My sister is studying very hard, but still has not passed her university entrance exams.

Because of my archery training, I never had any days off and when my friends went to play, I would go to school and practice. I was sad and bitter and wanted to give up. After I won the national championship and was admitted to the National College of Physical Education and Sports, I felt better.

TT: Most of Taiwan's archers retire very early, as they have few prospects. Will you continue to compete and what plans do you have for the future?