When Annaleigh Carter took up archery it was to stay active and take her mind off having to abandon a promising figure skating career.
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The Newcastle 16-year-old never thought it would take her on the journey it already has in such a short amount of time.
Carter had to give up figure skating two years ago due to a chronic back ailment called pars defect.
She chose to give archery a go and has already claimed a state and national title and is now preparing for an appearance at the world titles in Wagga Wagga in September.
“I was very limited in what sports I could choose because I couldn’t do anything where I was running or jumping,” Carter said.
“We thought it would be better if I did an individual sport because if I couldn’t train then I am not letting anyone else down.
“It was hard because I loved figure skating so much but I have grown to love archery just as much.”
Carter’s only prior experience at archery was “at school camp in third grade”.
“I had three shots and completely missed the target,” she said.
The Merewether Selective High student began with target events, requiring limited movement. She placed second in her first competition.
In recent months she has started doing clout and field events. Clout is shooting at a target 145 metres away and requires arching backwards and shooting into the air at a sharp, upwards angle. Field archery involves walking a course and shooting targets of varying distances.
In April, Carter was runner-up in clout at the youth national titles for World Archery (WA).
“In clout there is a lot of walking and you have to lean backwards, which is always very painful, so being able to do that was really exciting for me,” Carter said.
In May, she won the NSW 16-years-and-under field title for International Field Archery Association (IFAA) then backed it up with a national crown this month.
She has been shooting well on home soil and hopes that gives her an advantage on the world stage.
“I’d like a place but on a good day I think I could probably win,” Carter said.
“I’ve been shooting pretty well in Australia … I’d like to win but I expect there will be some seriously tough competitors from overseas.”
Carter is a member of the Newcastle City Archers Club and shoots every day.
The talents of the disciplined teenager have already been recognised with selection in two Australian teams.
She was unable to go to the Oceania Championships in Tonga competed at the Trans Tasman Championships in New Zealand.
“I took up archery just thinking on Saturdays I would shoot at the club and it would give me something to do with my time and to keep me fit,” she said. “Now I have had the opportunity to travel with it and hopefully I can make more teams.”