Athletics

Athletics is, in many ways, the embodiment of the Olympic motto, "Citius, Altius, Fortius", meaning faster, higher, stronger.

Athletics (or track and field) is about running faster, jumping higher and throwing further than your competitors. The ancient Games at Olympia began simply with foot races, only occasionally complicated by dressing the runners in infantry armour or making them carry soldiers' shields. Today, athletics remains one of the most popular Olympic sports. From the 100m dash to the 42.195km marathon, from the hammer throw to the high jump, it contains many of the Olympic Games' blue-ribbon events and many of the highest-profile competitors.

Archery

Anyone familiar with the legend of Robin Hood knows archery competitions date back at least to mediaeval times. Indeed, today's archers still honour the fabled outlaw. The term "Robin Hood" now refers to splitting the shaft of an arrow already in the target by hitting the end of the arrow dead centre with another arrow.

Equipment technology has evolved since Robin and his merry men had the run of Sherwood Forest, but the skills needed for the historic sport of archery remain essentially unchanged.

Today, a recurve bow made with aerospace aluminium alloys and carbon fibre, has become standard, and arrows made of aluminium and carbon can travel more than 240 km/h (150 mph); but the most important requirements are straightforward: extreme physical and mental control, physical conditioning for strength and stamina, steady hands, sharp eyes and nerves of steel.

Recently, the sport of archery became more modern thanks to the introduction of match play (two archers, 12 arrows, only the winner moves on) and the World Cup concept that has offered an exciting, fast-paced sporting event and a true “best of archery” show for fans and television since 2006.