7 July 2011 - Marcella TONIOLI (ITA): “...as long as the others do not shoot better!”

Marcella TONIOLI (ITA): “...as long as the others do not shoot better!” Turin – 7 July 2011   Marcella TONIOLI, one of the compound archers from Italy, achieved the Indoor European Compound Women Champion’s title in her first international competition, earlier this year in Cambrils, Spain.   We met her here in Turin where she is attending the first World Championship of her life.  How did the elimination round go? Today I shot well and I managed to match my personal record; that means scoring 147 points in the 15 arrow match round. Moreover I am particularly satisfied because I always have pains in my trapezius muscle but today the physiotherapist helped me overcome the pain. I hope tomorrow I will shoot as well as I did today.   Tell us how you chose to practice archery. It was eight years ago, I was attending secondary school and our P.E. teacher did not like team sports such as football, basketball or volleyball, so he let us learn and practice only static sports like table tennis and archery. I liked it and I went to see an archery competition. There I realised that it could be my sport. I always liked the outsider sports. I started shooting a recurve bow and after five years some girls from my archery club asked me to join them in the compound team. Now the compound bow is my favourite one because when I tried it, it was like a rebirth in my archery career.   And what about your training sessions? I shoot whenever I have some spare time. I usually go to the training field after work and most of the times I go to another club's training field because it is closer to my office. They all are nice to me; let's say that they adopted me.   This is your first World Championship. What are your feelings about it? On one hand, transport has been difficult here, but this is understandable because there are really a lot of people to move and manage. I am honoured and proud that my home country is hosting this World Championship. I am happy to shoot “at home”. You know, it is easier for me to be in Italy, because I can keep my own habits. I can call home whenever I want and I know most of the volunteers. It really is like being at home.    Dajana PICCOLO, Rebecca RABOZZI World Archery Communication