A teenage archery enthusiast in Burnham-On-Sea has won her first competition of the year, beating scores of other female entrants and hopes one day to compete at the Olympics.
Liv Morledge, 14, a member of Burnham Company of Archers, competes in the under 16’s category with a recurve bow and scooped the top prize at an indoor competition hosted by Kyrton Archers in Devon.
With a score of 538 out of a maximum 600, she recorded a new personal best and scored higher than all other junior and senior females in the competition.
Having first tried archery on a day out to Warwick Castle with her family in 2019 and discovering a natural ability, Liv took up the hobby seriously during lockdown. She progressed rapidly after taking a beginners’ course with her local archery club in Burnham-On-Sea in 2022.
Since then, Liv has competed at a range of indoor and outdoor events throughout the Southwest, representing both Burnham Company of Archers and Somerset County Archery Association, and is three-time Somerset county champion in her age and category.
Liv, who will be 15 next month, is on the youth national talent development programme run by Archery GB for the second year.
Held at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire, the programme provides Liv with specialist coaching and athlete development support alongside regular personal coaching at her club.
Liv is coached by Dave Jones who has taught hundreds of archers over the last 30 years, including internationals winning gold in the Rio Olympics.
He said of Liv’s recent performance: “This really was an outstanding accomplishment for Liv in her first competition of the year. I first started coaching Liv privately in autumn last year and her form and ability are excellent and her determination is something else.”
“With some refinement to her technique, support with her mindset and upgrades to her equipment, I’m excited to see what 2024 brings for Liv.”
Speaking after her most recent victory, Liv says: “Archery is my absolute passion in life and I shoot and train altogether six times a week and my aim this year is to be selected for Archery GB’s National Age Group Olympic performance pathway.”
“It’s my dream to make it to the Olympics one day and I’ve got a busy year ahead with lots of competitions coming up and I’m really looking forward to improving and getting selected.”
“I’m grateful to everyone who has helped me on my archery journey so far. My parents invest a lot to support me, especially my Dad who is always near the shooting line with me and of course driving me everywhere I need to be! Archery is a great sport and I’d encourage everyone to give it a try.”
To follow Liv’s journey, she has a page on Facebook at Liv Morledge Archer.
