With the bronze medal of Lisa Barbelin individually and that of the team of Baptiste Addis and Thomas Chirault at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, French archery is experiencing its best return in ages with an influx of new licensees. With 77,300 archers in mid-November, the French Archery Federation (FFTA) has already beaten the 2017 record (77,255) after Jean-Charles Valladont’s silver medal at the Rio Games.
This little-publicized sport has never won two Olympic medals. No wonder that, since September, many children, but also adults, seduced by this discipline with its physical and mental dimension, have been knocking on the doors of the 1,603 clubs across the country. “We never reached this number during this period. At this rate, we should reach 85,000-90,000 licensees, rejoices Jean-Michel Cléroy, president of the FFTA. And in March, we should gain another 2,000 to 3,000 additional archers with the “discovery” license. »
An increase of 15%
In anticipation of this massive wave, the federation had fortunately taken the lead. “With the implementation since 2018 of the Paris 2024 performance project to bring in medals, we suspected that the Olympics would cause a flood of new licensees, indicates Jean-Michel Cléroy. From the first half of 2024, we have anticipated by supporting clubs to find new slots in gyms or by working with our technical partners to obtain arrows at cost price. We systematically lend the bow and arrows the first year for initiation. Afterwards, the material evolves according to the level of each person. »
Compared to last year at the same period, the federation recorded an increase of almost 15% (9,000 licenses). On the front line, clubs must absorb this demand so as not to be disappointed. “In September, we felt a very clear Olympics effect with 55 registration requests, but we were only able to satisfy 40. The introductory courses are full. We have exceeded our reception capacity with 172 licensees. As a result, we were forced to redirect people to neighboring clubs”says Patrice Bertolotti, president of the Draveil Sénart Val de Seine archers club (ADSVS) in Essonne, which has its own permanent hall. An advantage when we know that from the fall, most clubs are faced with the problem of finding slots in the gymnasiums.
At the Saint-Avertin Sports archers club (Indre-et-Loire) near Tours (currently 200 licensees), the surge was also felt. “Compared to mid-November 2023, there are twenty more licensees. We anticipated by recruiting more part-time teachers. We went from 1.5 employees before the JOP to 1.75, explains Marion Lenglet, secretary of the club. This allows us to have more slots, therefore to make more level groups. »
At Draveil Sénart, management has also taken measures to cope. “This year, we set up, on Wednesday afternoon, a second supervised course for beginners of twenty peoplespecifies Patrice Bertolotti. We also invested in insulating panels which form corridors and allow more shots at different distances. »
A sport that is becoming more feminine
On an upward curve for several decades, archery brings together all types of public and is becoming more and more feminine, particularly among those under 18 (23,000 licensed) with a mix of boys and girls which tends to balance year after year (43.1% girls).
Among all licensees, the trend is also verified with currently 28,000 women, or 36.28%, a new record, compared to 35.3% the previous season, less than two points from the objective set by the federation. An increase which is the consequence of the implementation, several years ago, of a feminization plan with numerous operations including the “mixed trophy”.
“We went from 38% women in 2023 to 41% since the start of the school year”confirms Marion Lenglet. President of ADSVS since 2006, Patrice Bertolotti also observes this curve increasing. “Young women are becoming more and more interested in archery and are becoming more and more competitive”he notes. Like Lisa Barbelin (24 years old) who thrilled the country on August 3, in the small final on the Esplanade des Invalides, by flirting with perfection against a South Korean, a leading country in the discipline where archers are considered almost unbeatable.
“Lisa’s bronze medal had a similar impact to a gold medal, underlines Jean-Michel Cléroy. We could have done any communication campaign, we would never have had the same impact. Lisa made us experience such emotions! »
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