Technical performance differences in elite Olympic recurve archers

The aim of this study was to identify technical differences in the shot cycle demonstrated by elite Olympic recurve archers in major tournaments. Participants were 30, world-ranked archers (15 men and 15 women) who competed in different World Cup series competitions in 2023. A video notational analysis system was designed, based on the shot cycle, to assess technical differences between the elite archers. For each archer, 18 shots were selected from an analysis of performance in individual or team competitions. Results showed that the execution of shot cycle phases varied among elite archers. Findings also revealed that these variations grouped into two styles of Olympic recurve archery: some displayed a common style and some a more complex style. The two styles were mainly different in movement complexity when raising the bow, loading and bow arm follow-through. In conclusion, the designed notational analysis system in recurve archery can be used by coaches and performance analysts for exploring skill adaptation of young archers in their development pathway. The observed technical differences in actions of the elite archers in this study could justify our re-definition of the ideal performance in this sport, re-directed towards skill adaptations, based on satisfying individual, environmental and task constraints.