There reigned in the gymnasium of the Jean-Lurçat high school in Perpignan this very particular atmosphere of the big days of archery: tense silence, gazes fixed on the yellow and this little dry noise when the arrow is released.
Organized by the Pyrénées-Orientales departmental committee, the indoor championship brought together archers from the department’s ten clubs. Prades was there with ten representatives, who came looking for much more than a score: a place, a medal and sometimes a face-to-face match where the pressure becomes a second skin.
Because the competition is played in two stages. In the morning, it’s time for qualifying shooting: we build our rankings, we lay our foundations, we try to remain solid, regular, clean. In certain categories, a cut (qualification bar) can already bring down candidates.
Then in the afternoon, the atmosphere changes: the elimination duels start from the quarter-finals, and there, we are no longer only against our target, we are also against the time, the stakes. And in this game, the Pradean archers clearly showed their composure.
In the end, no less than eight podiums crowned the day: Eliott Victoria won gold, 1st U21HCL; Jérôme Poljansek also won, 1st S2HCO; Enzo Gilliard took a nice 2nd place U18HCL; Jimmy Servant finishes 2nd S1HCL; Anthony Gilliard climbs on the 2nd step SHBB; Catherine Meunier gets silver, 2nd S2FCL; Benoît Geschwindenhammer finished 2nd S2HCO; Georges Hernandez completes the harvest with a 3rd place S3HCO.
On the way to the regional championship
For their part, Esther Baillette and Cédric Groult were not unworthy: both out in the quarter-finals, they left the competition with good shots, proof that the level was dense and that each end was paid at a high price. The season is not slowing down. For Enzo Gilliard, Jérôme Poljansek and Benoît Geschwindenhammer, the adventure continues with the regional championship: see you on Sunday February 8 in Auch for young people, then the Sunday February 15 in Perpignan for compound bows.
Obviously, on the club side, the smile is wide. Bernard Morlot, president, says “obviously extremely satisfied” results that he judges “very promising”. And seeing the precision displayed, we understand why: when the arrow is straight, the ambition can be too.
