Archery
European silver for Folkard

LEAMINGTON archer Naomi Folkard warmed up for the Olympic Games by winning a silver medal in the European outdoor target championships in Amsterdam.

The event, in the run up to the Olympics, was attended by archers from 40 countries, many of whom will be representing their nations in the London.

Folkard, for whom London will be her third Olympics, shot well all week in the recurve competition.

She qualified in 8th place with a score of 640 for the FITA 70 qualification round of six dozen arrows.

This placing was just high enough to give her byes for the first two head-to-head rounds, so she entered the individual matches at 1/16 stage.

Folkard easily won her first match 7-1 against Leila Fazilova (Azerbaijan) before overcoking Anna Szukalska (Poland) 6-4.

Folkard continued her good form by beating Natalia Lesniak (Poland), 6-2 in the quarter-finals.

Folkard defeated Carina Christiansen (Denmark) 7- 3 in the last four which set up a clash against the number two qualifier Ksenia Perova (Russia) in the final.

Folkard shot well in very tricky windy conditions but Perova, who had knocked out GB team-mate Alsion Williamson in the last eight, triumphed 6–0.

Archery GB performance director Sara Symington said: “It’s been a great week for Naomi. She had a fantastic run to the final and winning a silver medal at the European Championships is a great confidence boost.”

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