Friday January 16, the AC de Nîmes licensee took part in the Indoor World Series, 5th round of the World Cup. By abandoning the recurve bow for the compound bow.
She has changed her discipline, but not her habits, nor her personality, always as shy and reserved in life as she is offensive, once the bow is drawn. Friday afternoon, on the shooting range of the Parc des Expositions, in Nîmes, Anaëlle Florent, a graduate of the ACN, spoke ”amused, I was relaxed”she said, with a smile, after having fired her qualifying volleys.
Since last September, the 24-year-old archer, who joined the club chaired by Philippe Michelutti in 2021, has taken ”pleasure again”in compound arch, his new discipline. Pleasure that she had lost a little in recurve arch. Not that she loved less a sport that she started at the age of 11, but more out of external constraints.
Olivier Grillat, technical director of the ACN: “She wanted to do too well”
”To achieve results in recurve bow, you need to do a lot of training. After Insep (resident in 2022-2023)I found myself a little alone, for the same objectives”she relates, also passing through the Pôle de Bordeaux, from 16 to 20 years old.
In Nîmes, this Friday, ”it’s the famous second competition, she wanted to do too wellobserved the ACN sports director, Olivier Grillat, referring to the results obtained by his protégé during the qualifications for this 5th round of the Indoor World Series. In archery, for it to work, you have to do what you know how to do. If, in your mind, you are not fully in action, you will be less precise.
”Adjust myself in terms of technical evolution”
For his second official outing in the specialty, especially at home, Florent was undoubtedly under pressure. A different context, too, from the regional competition at La Flèche, her first, earlier in the season, where she scored 582 points.
Friday, during this 5th round of the Indoor World Series, in terms of level, it was no longer really the same music. Necessarily. ”I rather sought to settle in terms of technical evolutionshe detailed, composed, work finished and bow put away, awaiting the final verdict. Also getting used to big competitions like that, in compound arches. The feeling is totally different. I really enjoy compound more.”
Twentieth with 572 points and in favorable waivers
A well-being which, for Florent, was to continue this Saturday, during the knockout matches. ”For me, there is an 80% chance of passing”predicted Grillat, Friday evening, before the rest of qualifying, Saturday morning, and the last two passes.
Florent took out a 572 from his bow, regular during his volleys: ”At the beginning I had a little difficulty getting started, I rather did “28”, I was quite unstable. I received advice from Sébastien Brasseur (coach of the French women’s team)who came to look at all the selectables.” Of which Nîmoise is part with a view to the European Championships in February in Slovenia.
The Los Angeles Olympics in the viewfinder
Because by changing practice, Florent also gained in terms of national status, current top 5. And the fact that the compound bow will become an Olympic discipline at the Los Angeles Games, in 2028, and this for the first time in its history, may have played a role. ‘It hasn’t been my main motivation for change, but let’s just say all the planets align.’rejoices Florent, fulfilled in her new life.
