Archery at the 1908 Summer Olympics

Archery had been contested at the 1900 and 1904 Olympic Games. In 1900, the sport was held virtually as a French national archery contest, with thousands of entrants qualifying from around the country. In 1904, only Americans competed at the St. Louis Olympic archery events.

It was only marginally different in 1908. There were three events, two for men and one for women. Most of the competitors were British with a number of Frenchmen shooting in the men’s events. One American also competed. The events were all held on the grass in the centre of the main stadium infield.

The first day of shooting, Friday, 17 July, was devoted to the Gentlemen’s Double York Round and the Ladies’ Double National Round. Competition began at 10 in the morning, and was frequently interrupted by rain, with a strong wind also bothering the contestants. Still, the day’s shooting finished by 2 PM (1400). The next morning, competition started at 11, as those two events were finished. It did not rain, but The Archer’s Register noted that “For the time of year it was bitterly cold, the wind being again very strong and trying, as it eddied round the huge arena with its towering array of seats.”

The third event, shooting in the Continental Style, took place on Monday, 20 July. As the name would suggest, most of the competitors were from the continent – France. Officially, of the 17 archers, there was only one from Britain and one American. However, eight British archers took part unofficially. Their scores are found in The Archer’s Register, not having been published in the Official Report.