Two West Essex Junior Bowmen members headed off to NAEC at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire in early December to compete at the ArcheryGB Junior National Indoor Championships for the first time.
Both Ella Clampin & Amelia Chumber were to compete in the Junior Ladies U14 age group but in different categories - Ella was shooting in the recurve category while Amelia was entered in the barebow catergory.
Neither girl had any idea of the scale of the hall but arriving on Friday evening gave Ella & her dad a chance to visit the venue & with the hall setup all but completed the AGB staff on duty let then in for a sneak peak. With a few photographs taken they then posted to the West Essex Bowmen closed members only Facebook group so Amelia too was able to get some idea of the scale of the hall.
Ella who has been shooting for approx. four years but only really started competing seriously in June at the County Championships held at Noak Hill Archers where she came away with a gold medal in her category & her first JMB score followed that up with a further four JMB scores, one at every competition she entered after her first & carried her form on into the indoor season continuing to win medals wherever she has shot from North Essex to Kent & Berkshire.
Amelia had started shooting in 2017 but very quickly dispensed with her sight & stabilisers - during her beginners course I believe - in favour of the barebow discipline & also started competing this year winning medals & trophies wherever she goes.
Both girls were full of nerves on arrival at the venue, but with encouragement from both sets & parents coupled with the fact the first session was shot in a single detail meaning it wasn’t as busy & feeling more like a club night they both soon got into their stride & by some amazing coincidence both girls topped their respective leader boards by the end of the first session - the agonising wait began.
As the day went on it became clear both girls had posted really good scores & along with parents, coaches & friends all watching the live scoring via i@nseo the tension for all those close to the girls was unbearable.
Then with three arrows still to shoot in the final session we all realised that neither of them could be knocked off the podium & that by a very strange coincidence both Ella & Amelia had not only finished first in their session but also come away with a 3rd place & bronze medal each in their respective categories - a fantastic result for both girls who have become very good friends & shooting partners.
Ian Clampin
West Essex Bowmen