Tag: archery

Nathan Macqueen and Jodie Grinham on the podium at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, with their gold medals

Golden Games: Nathan Macqueen’s Paralympic Journey

By Veronica Buccino

The Lothian star left his third Paralympics Games with a gold medal alongside teammate Jodie Grinham, and now ready to train for upcoming World Championship.

Nathan Macqueen, 33-year-old Scot, returned to his home in Dumfries, following his triumphant performance in his third Paralympic Games.

“Paris was definitely different compared to Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020,” said Nathan.

“Rio was my first Games [after] I joined the squad in late 2015, so I had less than a year to make the team and Tokyo was a Covid Games. But this time I could actually have a proper experience”.

Eight years of arduous teamwork later, he and his teammate Jodie Grinham took home a team gold medal on day 5.

“I’ve known Jodie since I got into the squad in 2015 and it was nice to share the experience with her. Timing wise, competing individually is probably easier, because you get 30 seconds an arrow when alone, but in a team, you get 20. However, being in a team relieves a lot of pressure, when there’s someone else in line with you”.

When asked how it felt to win, he added: “There were some politics that happened in Rio that took me out of the team and they went on and got a silver medal. It was a bit of a sore point that I could’ve get a medal in my first Games but didn’t. It was rather thrilling to be able to obtain one in Paris and do significantly better with the gold”.

Due to the pandemic and the one-year postponement of the Tokyo Paralympics, Nathan only had three years in between Games. He reflected on the training requirements: “The training is hard. There’s a lot of time away from my family, which I think is the hardest bit but it is also trying to get a good balance and I usually manage to do it”.

In addition to the gym workouts, the training sessions can extend from 8am until 6pm, with an average of 200 arrows shot. Being an outdoor sport, inside training with artificial light during winter months can be mentally challenging. Consistency can help a lot: “This is what we do, we have to repeat the same thing over and over again, and it makes it sound really easy, but it’s not”, Nathan added, characterising the sport as ‘the art of repetition’.

For the athlete, it felt extremely important to have his family there in Paris to support him.

“I wanted my family to be there for me, but when that happened, I was also a bit nervous. I didn’t look in their direction when I was shooting, and I didn’t wave at them until after. Now that I’ve got a month off, I want to spend time with them. Then it is back to work. I’ve got the World Championships next year (2025) in September, so I have to get ready for that”.

Scottish Disability Sport Week (SDSW) is something to earmark for this year. The one week long campaign (25th November – 1st December) is a nationwide celebration throughout Scotland. The week engages numerous partners across the country and encourages people to get active. Each day focuses on a different theme: the benefits of getting active, overcoming barriers, intersectionality, clubs and communities and how to get involved.

In light od SDSW, Nathan explained how he benefitted from getting active and participating in sport following his accident.

“I just had more motivation to do things. After my accident, I did not want to do a lot with myself but I found that with sport, I had to do something, and without the discipline, I would not be the person I am today”.

The Scot went on to explain the intersectionality of archery:

“It is one of the very few sports where, apart from during the Paralympics and World Championships, you compete against everybody and there aren’t distinctions of Para categories. This is extremely important because when I was younger it was a bit difficult for me to be disabled, and this inclusivity made me feel part of the sport even more, rather than being in my own little category by myself. This is why I really like archery, and I have never faced any societal barriers”.

Nathan wanted to emphasise the importance of getting into sport, in a way that it doesn’t only make you healthier and fitter, but it helps you set goals which is a good mental release.

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Please note that entries are now open for the SDS National Indoor Archery Championships, supported by The Motability Scheme.
The Championships will take place on Sunday 1st of December 2024 at Bertha Park High School.
Please find the link to register and for full details of the event, here. 
The registration deadline is Thursday 21st November 2024.
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Make to follow Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, X and Instagram, as well as on the SDS website. 

Photo of Nathan Mcqueen sitting in his wheelchair holding his bow and arrow in one hand whilst the other arm raises his first in the air triumphantly.

Macqueen Targets Top Spot in Paris with Family By His Side

By Emma Logan, Communications Manager

As the current world number two, Nathan Macqueen is hungry to regain the top spot and put on a good show for his family that will be cheering him on when he competes at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. 

The Paris Paralympics will be the third Games for the Para archer from Dumfries, after making his debut at Rio 2016. Nathan’s world number two ranking comes after a silver medal at the 2023 World Para Championships compound open. He followed this up this year with a gold in the compound open mixed team division at the European Para Cup (with Jodie Grinham) and a bronze in the mixed team medal at the European Para Championships (with  Phoebe Paterson Pine).

Despite the pressure that comes with competing on the world stage, Nathan’s tactic is to simply enjoy the event.

“I just want to go in and enjoy it because when I’m enjoying myself, I’m more relaxed and that’s when I shoot my best”, said Nathan. 

“That’s when I’m at my most dangerous to other archers. It’s when I start thinking about the occasion is when things go a bit wrong.”

Despite currently recovering from a chest infection, training shows Nathan to be on top form.

“I was one point off the British record three weeks ago at a competition. It’s the first time I’ve ever shot over 700 (points) in a competition as well, so that was really good.”

Nathan’s family could be his secret weapon in Paris. For the first time he will have family members present and cheering him on at the Paralympics, which is a great advantage for him. 

“There’s ten members of my family going out”, said Nathan.

“It’s going to be a new one for me because I’ve never had anyone at a competition before. I normally struggle. In Tokyo and Rio with the time difference and trying to get that bit of the day where you can talk to family and what not but (this time) they’re going over. They’re going to be in the same time zone as me. I’ll be able to see them so yeah, I’m hoping that it will allow me to focus more and not be homesick.”

His family have played an instrumental part in his sporting journey. After his motorbike accident in 2009, Nathan participated in several different sports before his now wife recommended that he try archery, after having participated in the sport when he was younger with his dad. 

“If I didn’t have the support from my family then I wouldn’t be in the position I am now”, said Nathan.

“The amount of sacrifices she (his wife) makes so that I can do what I do. So, just thank you.”

Returning to the sport has proven to have a huge impact on his life, outside of competing on the world stage.

“It has given me a focus and a goal. I was always really goal orientated. I was a joiner beforehand so you would set yourself a goal for the day and archery is the exact same. Short term goals, mid term and long term goals. Just marking it out.” 

Regardless of his form and his family’s support, you can never predict the outcome of an archery competition. 

“It’s a really unforgiving sport”, commented Nathan.

“You can’t control anyone else. You can’t even influence anyone else. You just need to go out and shoot your best. You could shoot a world record and then someone else could pip the world record by a point and you’d lose.”

Despite the challenges of the sport, Nathan advises anyone that feels inspired to take up archery after watching the Paralympics should remember to: “Just be patient and have fun.”

He continued to say, “I never thought I’d be doing archery for a living but here I am. So just try things and don’t be afraid to fail either.”

Nathan will be competing in the compound men’s open category and compound open mixed team, between the 29th August and 2nd September at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. You can watch the Paralympics live and catch up on Channel 4, from the 28th August to the 8th September. More information about Nathan can be found on his website.

ParalympicsGB Archery team of four for Paris 2024. They are standing in a sports hall with archery targets behind them.
Credit: ParalympicsGB
Two youngsters paddle a kayak across a pond.

Successful Summer of Fun Programme for Grampian Disability Sport

Grampian Disability Sport had a fantastic return to sport during the summer holidays, thanks to Summer of Play funding.

GDS was able to access just under £8,000 of the government funding thanks to a partnership between Live Life Aberdeenshire and Aberdeenshire ClubSport, which enabled their member clubs and organisations to apply for funding to run free of charge sports and activities for young people and families in Aberdeenshire.

After a surge in popularity of Scottish Disability Sport’s Summer Camp offering for youngsters aged 10 -17 with physical disabilities and sensory impairments, which was to be held at Lochter Activity Centre in Oldmeldrum, the funding enabled GDS to provide a further 7 half-day adventure camps at the site, which were opened up to youngsters with any disability aged 8-17 from Aberdeenshire, and their siblings and families.

Families had the opportunity to take part in a range of adventure activities including buggy driving, water zorbing, go karting, Segway, archery, kayaking and more! The environment was relaxed, staff were very flexible and went above and beyond to support the youngsters, and a total of 161 unique participants were involved across the 7 sessions.

Families commented that they wouldn’t ordinarily pay for this type of experience as they were concerned that their youngsters wouldn’t take part or wouldn’t manage, but seeing their children fully engage in the activities and gain confidence in their abilities changed their perceptions. It enabled parents and carers to meet other families and allowed their children to connect with their peers after lockdown.

They’re looking forward to hopefully offering a similar programme with Lochter during the Aberdeenshire Tatty Holidays.

If you (or someone you know) lives with a disability in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray or Shetland and wants to get involved in sport or physical activity, get in touch with Alison on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or call 07828744848.