Top archer Wills stays focused on the target

Alan Wills today vowed not to wilt under the pressure of his status as a British medal hope at the Beijing Olympics.

The 26-year-old will compete in the individual and team archery events after securing a bronze medal in the World Cup Grand Final last November.

That result capped a two-year spell during which he claimed silver medals in the World Championships and at aWorld Cup event in August and enjoyed an extended period as the world's No1 archer.

With at least a bronze a real possibility in both the solo and team events, Wills insists he will not allow the psychological tricks among the sport's top competitors to affect his performance.

"There are so many mind games going on and people trying to intimidate each other," said Wills.

"But it won't bother me. You just go back to basics and remember why you do it and how much you want to compete. Everyone has nerves and it's just about who can compose themselves the best.

"There are no expectations on my part - if I am happy with my performance, good things will happen. It'll all be about what happens on the day."

The archery event runs for a week starting tomorrow and Wills encouraged those not accustomed to watching archery to get behind the team.

He said: "A lot of people may think it's just for Robin Hood but there is a lot more to it than that."
View videos, podcasts and diary entries from Alan Wills and follow his Olympic journey at www.teamgb.com