“Since compound isn’t an Olympic event, many countries don’t invest in the sport, despite the fact that achieving success in the event is easier than recurve.” Said Karim Safaei, Iran’s Archery Federation president

Read more here:
Foreigner likely to head Iran’s compound team

It must have been a very frustrating day for Jennifer Nichols and Khatuna Lorig who finished 24th and 26th respectively. The US Women failed to make one of the 17 teams that go on to the elimination round.

News was made however, in that South Korean archer Park Sung-hyun and returning Olympic champion, tied the Olympic record with a shoot of 673. In fact Korean archers finished first, second and third. Great Britain had an excellent showing placing 7th and 8th.

In mens competition, USA archer Brady Ellison led the team with a 664 placing 15th, Butch Johnson and Victor Wunderle finish 40th and 41st with a 653 and 652 respectively.

Those scores are enough place the men in 10th place and earn one of the 12 spots to go on to the elimination round.

Archery competition will begin with the Ranking Round on Saturday, August 9 at the Beijing Olympic Green Archery Field next to the Olympic Village and just a short shuttle ride from the Main Press Center.

The women compete at noon, followed by the men at 3:30 p.m.

I take this to mean one thing: FOCUS. This gentleman from Illinois must have his focus set on technique, procedure, and target. I’ll keep you informed.

She is at her fourth Olympics with her third country, this time hoping the “Star Spangled Banner” will be played in her honor. She begins competing Saturday.

“It would be a great pleasure to stand up there — me, personally — and to hear the national anthem,” says Lorig, 34. “The whole world would hear it.”

U.S. head coach Kisik Lee ranks Lorig among the top 11 archers in the world. He says her focus and technical skills have improved in her time with the team.

The 19-year-old Glendale resident’s family will fly Tuesday to China to watch him compete in the international games for archery. Ellison is the No. 1-ranked archer in the United States and No. 14 in the world.

“It’s been an amazing journey,” said Julie Nichols, Ellison’s mother. “I thought he would be ready for the 2012 Olympics in London, but I never imagined that it would come this fast, so I’m very happy all the hard work paid off.”

“Some people might get psyched up to think about their competitor, but for me, I need to keep it more as a personal competition,” Nichols said. “It’s just you, your bow, the target. That’s the best way to approach it.”

Nichols was home-schooled and still lives at home, though she is on the road half the year for clinics, training and competition. She has taught dance classes and occasionally works for her dad, Brent, who owns a business building security gates, but basically her job has been archery since becoming an adult. She gets support and sponsorships from archery companies, but there’s not much money to be made shooting arrows.

This is a great article that gives further insight into who Jennifer Nichols is as a person and what she’s thinking in her head, not to mention some obstacles she’s had to overcome. Here’s some more about her methodology:

armed with her “X-Factor” bow from Precision Shooting Equipment, she shoots in the morning and in the evening, squeezing in cardio and weightlifting during the day, six days a week. Mention “robotic” and she accepts it as a compliment.

“What we work on is — same movement, same motion, same thought process,” Nichols said. “Every single shot.”

During a promotional tour in New York, she shot an apple off a mannequin’s head, a strawberry off a piece of cheesecake, a cluster of cream cheese out of the hole of a bagel. She chatted with Matt Lauer on NBC’s Today Show and popped up with the morning crew at ESPN.

But archery is a grind, and Nichols is a perfectionist. The willowy 24-year-old shoots up to 230 arrows a day in her backyard, six days a week, pumps iron and follows a strict cardio training regimen.

Rocky Mountain News.com : Cheyenne archer at home on the range

“I want to be one of the best that has ever lived,” said the Arizona native. “My personal thing is I’m really dedicated. I’ve got a lot of drive. My parents are very supportive and I’ve got the best coach in world.”

The Foothills Focus: Taking aim at olympic gold