NZ archers back at Commonwealth Games

New Zealand archers will compete at the Commonwealth Games for the first time in nearly 30 years in New Delhi in October.

Archery has only featured in the Commonwealth Games once before - at Brisbane in 1982, where New Zealand's Neroli Fairhall won a gold medal in the recurve discipline.

New Delhi 2010 will be the first Commonwealth Games that has included the compound discipline.

Auckland's Shaun Teasdale leads the team of three men and three women, who will compete as individuals and as teams.

Ranked world number 14 at just 21 years of age, Teasdale will be joined in the men's team by fellow Aucklander and world championship bronze medallist Stephen Clifton, and Invercargill's Tony Waddick.

Making up the women's team is 19-year-old Stephanie Croskery from Gisborne, Mandy McGregor (New Plymouth) and Anne Mitchell (Balclutha).

Teasdale said selection into the Commonwealth Games team is significant.

"It is a once in a lifetime opportunity," he said. "It's the first time that compound archery has been in the Games and it's not on the programme for Glasgow.

"It will still be tough competition as some of the world's best archers are from Commonwealth countries."

The archers will build up to the Commonwealth Games with ongoing international competition.

"We need to keep the pressure on," Teasdale said. "We've got two World Cup events in the next eight weeks and we'll be using them to make sure we're at the top of our game in Delhi."

The team will head to Utah in July and then Shanghai in August before leaving for New Delhi in September.

Compound archery differs from the recurve discipline seen at the Olympic Games in the sets of pulleys, or cams, that reduce the load on the string when fully extended.

The archer does not need to contend with holding 45-50lb when making the fine adjustments needed for a precise aim.

- NZPA