South archery club slowly resumes training

AS lockdown restrictions owing to the covid19 pandemic continue to be relaxed, the South Arrows Archery Club is gradually resuming its face-to-face training sessions.

The club trains in Point Fortin, Iere Village and Palmiste.

When lockdown measures initially began rolling out, the club held training sessions on Zoom – a video conference application. They did not shoot any arrows during these sessions but engaged in Specific Physical Training (SPT) to improve endurance, strength and flexibility.

Speaking with Newsday, on Tuesday, head coach Sherwin Francis said, “We haven’t opened up yet to all the beginners or those without their own arrows and kits because we are trying to minimise the sharing of equipment. What we have now is a limited session where only archers with their own equipment can come out.”

If equipment is shared, it would have to be sanitised after each use since everything is held in the athlete’s hand. And according to public health recommendations, the hands are an area everyone should try their best to keep clean to reduce the spread of the covid19 virus.

“I think by the beginning of August, I expect everything to go back to normal,” Francis said.

“All (competitions) postponed, our club competition is now cancelled, National (Championships) deferred to October. Not sure yet if our club will host the indoor (competition) in December.”

He said online training sessions will also continue.