Megan Havers revelled in being the very first Team GB athlete to compete at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Just weeks after attending her prom at South Charnwood High School, the 16-year-old archer fired the first shot in anger in the women’s ranking round.
Against a stunning backdrop of Les Invalides, a complex which contains Napoleon’s tomb, Havers made history with the maiden act of any British athlete in the French capital.
“I was the first to shoot but didn’t do it deliberately!” said Havers. “I like to shoot first, so I don’t get in my head, that’s my rule, but it’s a cool thing to be the first to compete.
“I can officially say I’m an Olympian now, which is really cool to say. I’ve got a lot more Olympics in me, I hope”.
The ranking round sees all 64 archers shoot 72 arrows each on the same field, with total scores producing seedings for individual and team competition.
With the inner bullseye rings scoring 10 points, Havers finished in 49th place with a total of 635. It means she will face Spaniard Elia Canales in the first round of the individual competition on Wednesday.
She said: “I came onto this field today and I didn’t feel the nerves. I was calm and excited to shoot.
“But my first arrow, I felt nervous, this is the Olympic Games and I’m shooting here! It settled down after a couple of ends. Before I shoot, I try to tell myself it’s one arrow at a time.”
Congratulations to our brilliant ambassador Helen Glover! We can’t wait to cheer you on from home tomorrow! #AldixTeamGB https://t.co/lHVdzN1otd
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Havers' support network will include ALDI, who have been the Official Supermarket of Team GB since 2015. Already one of Team GB’s longest-serving partners, this partnership has now been extended to 17 years until 2032, reaffirming Aldi’s multi-million-pound investment in both Team GB and its athletes.
The ranking round world record fell at the hands of Korean Lim Sihyeon, who shot 694 to surpass compatriot Kang Chae Young’s previous mark of 692 set in 2019.
Havers’ colleagues Bryony Pitman and Penny Healey finished 41st and 52nd respectively, meaning Great Britain are seeded 11th for the women’s team competition, where they will face Germany in the opening round on Sunday.
Wearing a colourful Paris 2024 bracelet made by school friend Eva Hill, Havers leant heavily on the experience of Pitman who attended Tokyo 2020.
“Bryony has given me and Penny a lot of advice with training, leading up to the Games, scoring more 720s, doing more competitive games,” said Havers. “That definitely helped us.
“She’s also given us the advice of not to think about the Olympics too much. When you’re here, soak it all in, do everything you can do. But don’t actively think every day, ‘oh my god, I’m at the Olympics’ because that makes it a bit more surreal.
“She definitely helps us. Even during competition, she walks us up to the line, gives us advice and asks how we are. She’s a really big part of the team.”
Aldi are proud Official Partners of Team GB & ParalympicsGB, supporting all athletes through to Paris 2024
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