Published at 11:11, Thursday, 09 August 2012

HAVING battled in Beijing and loved it in London, West Cumbrian archer Alan Wills plans to enjoy some Samba time in Rio in 2016

Strong arm: Alan Wills in action at Games

Wills bowed out of his home Games on Wednesday last week, knocked out of the men’s individual event by Australian Taylor Worth in the first round.

The Frizington archer, who reached the last 16 in China four years ago, beating then world number one Michele Frangilli, of Italy, on the way, has changed his whole lifestyle since his first Games, becoming a full-time archer and looking after his body better.

These changes – along with national funding – mean the former World Field Archery champion still has a long life left in the sport, and he said: “I just want to thank everybody who buys their lottery tickets and everything and UK Sport, because without the funding, I would have to work more to be able to live.

“After Beijing, I didn’t think I’d manage to get here. I used to work as a full-time carpenter and I just got a little bit of malaise, getting up at five in the morning, getting in at nine every night.

“I was going to work for 12 hours, shooting for a couple of hours and going to the gym for an hour every night for five or six nights a week. It was ruining me and I don’t think my body would have lasted much longer.

“It was good being a strong man and that job was good for that – it’s just the repetitive strain of knocking nails in every day with my right hand and then drawing my bow back every night.

“It did put a bit of strain on me, but since changing my job – I’m working for a friend as a senior builder and he looks after me – I work when I want to work. I’ve changed my technique a little bit and there are physios who look after us. My body is better now than it has ever been. This time four years ago, I thought I would need a brace, or something like that, but I’ve got another 10 or 15 years left in me now.”

That means Rio is well in his sights. His body should hold up, with his talent deciding if he will be selected.

“I’ve been working with the physio and he has been awesome and I’ve been building my shoulders, chest and back up a lot more. After last time, the physios didn’t even think I would make it to London, but now I don’t have any problems at all.”

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk