Olympic achievements, archery life and shooting technique according to Michele FRANGILLI

Michele FRANGILLI was introduced to archery by his parents as a young child. Treating the sport as a game at first, Michele kept on shooting and became one of the greatest champions of his generation. Thirty years after his debut, the archer from Gallarate is still coached by his father Vittorio, and has won almost every title he can across target, indoor and field archery. 

FRANGILLI has achieved the individual and team titles of World Champion at indoor and target events, and has clinched individual and team victories at World Cup stages. He has surpassed numerous world records and still holds to this day two indoor records dating from 2001! 

Michele FRANGILLI has also made his mark on archery’s Olympic history. After winning the Olympic team bronze at Sydney 2000 and the silver at Athens 2004, Italy’s FRANGILLI scored a 10 on the last arrow of the team final at London 2012 to dramatically win the Olympic gold medal, a first for Italy in this event. 

Almost a year after his most astonishing accomplishment, the former World Ranked number one archer is still striving for success in the sport. We caught up with him in Shanghai, where he is competing at the first stage of the World Cup this week. 

Please tell us how you approached the team final at the London Olympic Games, after winning the bronze at Atlanta 1996 and the silver at Sydney 2000?

I entered the field without thinking that we could finish on the podium. At the beginning, we were not quite shooting at the top of our game, but then match after match we realised that we could achieve something. In the gold medal match against the United States, we had confidence in our chances, and everything was decided on the final arrow. It was a good match and a great experience. Also I completed my collection of Olympic team medals: bronze, silver and finally gold in a time span of sixteen years! 

How did you manage your mental game during the team final at the London Olympic Games and especially the final arrow? What was going through your mind?

I was very calm at the start of the match. I tried to shoot my best and it worked until the last arrow. I like to check on the progress of the matches and watch what others do. Before the final arrow, I knew everything, I heard the noise in the audience. I was aware that I needed a 10 to win the gold medal. I took almost 30 seconds to shoot the last arrow; I was really quiet and I was mostly focused on not making a mistake. 

Has this gold medal changed you in any way?

No, not at all, I am still the same guy. In my country and my hometown, everybody knows me and knows what I do. For everything else, nothing has changed. I still train like before. Almost one year has passed, and despite the win my level of confidence and my struggles are still the same as they were. 

After a long career and winning almost every possible title, what keeps you going?

Archery is my job. I am of the Air Force as a fulltime archer. It’s my job to continue to win medals for Italy. 

How do you explain your excellent results across target, indoor and field archery?

I think it’s to do with the fact that I have been shooting for a long time – I started shooting archery at 5 years old and competing at age 10 – and my personal shooting technique has remained consistent since a very long time ago. Together, these factors have allowed me to win all the medals that I’ve won. 

You are famous for your “heretic” shooting technique.

My technique comes from the work of my father, who has studied many shooting techniques since his beginning in the sport. I adopted his technique and modified it slightly, and my way of shooting has not changed since 1994. videoThis technique requires a lot of strength but not a very significant number of arrows in training. And it has proven successful in the long term! At the time of the Atlanta Games, I shot up to 150 arrows a day, and now about 100. I do my physical preparation especially in winter. Even if I don’t shoot a lot of arrows, I shoot every day, because the most difficult thing is to start again after a break. This is why I only took 2-3 weeks of holidays after the London Games. Then I started shooting again very slowly, about 300 arrows per month. My technique is difficult to learn and practice, hence it is not imitated much and is not considered "normal" by archery specialists. But what counts is to reproduce an identical shooting sequence every time and to score 10s! You can find more information about my shooting technique and my life as an athlete in my book "The Heretic Archer", co-written with my father and available in English, French, German, Italian and Japanese. This book is aimed at high level archers seeking to improve their results. 

 

What are your goals for 2013?

They are the same as every year; I plan to just concentrate on my shooting, my shot process, and enjoy myself. What will be will be. Whether you win or you lose, just deal with it and move on. Of course after so many years and so many wins it’s easy to want it every time but you must remember it is not always possible. 

You have been coached by your father since you started. And recently Italy hired a new national head coach, Netherland’s Wietse VAN ALTEN, who was your rival on the shooting line a few years ago.

Wietse VAN ALTEN has just started working with our team. He has done a very good job with the team of the Netherlands over the past Olympic cycle, and I think his position will be good for our country. I think VAN ALTEN can raise the level of the other boys on the Italian team, and there’s potential for success. He is two years younger than me and was actually my rival on the field of play. 

After the fantastic achievement of last year, how do you see your future in the sport and outside of it?

I do not think about that. I live in the present: I approach each event without thinking about the next. I take things step by step, day by day, as I have always done. I just think about going on shooting, giving all that I can, and doing everything to win. Maybe one day I will take the place of Wietse (laughs)! 

Visit Michele FRANGILLI’s official website for more information, results and photos about this legendary athlete: www.frangilli.org 

Biography Extract 

Michele FRANGILLI – Born on 1 May 1976

1st

Team

Olympic Games – London

2012

3rd

Team

World Championships – Turin

2011

6th

Individual

World Cup Final – Edinburgh

2010

2nd

Team

World Indoor Championships – Rzeszow

2009

4th

Individual

World Cup Final – Dubai

2007

1st

Individual

World Cup stage 2 – Varese

2007

1st

Team

World Indoor Championships – Izmir

2007

2nd

Team

World Indoor Championships – Aalborg

2005

1st

Individual

World Games - Duisburg

2005

7th

Team

Olympic Games – Athens

2004

1st

Individual

World Championships – New York

2003

3rd

Team

World Indoor Championships – Nimes

2003

2nd

Individual

World Indoor Championships – Nimes

2003

1st

Individual

European Championships – Oulu

2002

1st

Individual

Field World Championships – Canberra

2002

2nd

Team

World Championships – Beijing

2001

3rd

Team

World Indoor Championships – Florence

2001

1st

Individual

World Indoor Championships – Florence

2001

2nd

Team

Olympic Games – Sydney

2000

9th

Individual

Olympic Games – Sydney

2000

1st

Team

World Championships – Riom

1999

2nd

Team

World Indoor Championships – Havana

1999

6th

Individual

Olympic Games – Atlanta

1996

3rd

Team

Olympic Games – Atlanta

1996

2nd

Team

World 

Championships – Jakarta

1995

 

Find more result information on Michele FRANGILLI (and all other archers) in our website.
 

World Archery Communication