Eleonora Meloni, 18, is the European champion in the nude specialty. The future? “I will study to become an engineer”
SASSARI. “Archery? It is not just target practice, as many think, it is actually much more. Behind there is a lot of training and fatigue and then you need concentration, a lot. I would say that from this point of view it is a discipline that is close to yoga, which requires rigor and meditation. I am followed daily by a psychologist who taught me the techniques of meditation and breathing. Is it a relaxing sport? I would say no, during the races there is the typical stress of any competition ».
Eleonora Meloni, 19 years old next month, has just won the title of European champion in the junior naked bow, campaign specialty in Croatia. He is part of the Uras Archers, the sports group among the strongest in Italy. Also in Croatia he won silver in the team competition.
Congratulations Eleonora, two medals in a specialty unknown to most.
«In reality I have won three: gold in the individual and in the mixed, and silver in teams with two other companions. It is true that archery is not a media sport, but here in Uras it is the most practiced, we are born archers. We really care. I hope these victories are also an opportunity to introduce my peers to this sport. It teaches to cultivate self-confidence, focus and inner balance. I recommend it to all the boys ».
How did you discover archery?
“In 2014, I was 12. Behind my house I saw some archers practicing and they let me try. I have never left the bow ».
He chose the bare bow, a non-Olympic specialty.
«For us the equivalent of the Olympics are the World Games. The next will be in the United States in 2022. The bare bow is a fascinating, if strenuous, specialty. The races are in the woods, with sometimes difficult paths, you pull uphill, in extreme descent, and how far you have to walk to look for targets. In addition to shooting well and having perfect eyesight, you need to have excellent feet. We use a simple bow, almost primitive, not like the Olympic bow which is instead super technological, almost another sport ».
Tell us about the gold race at the Europeans in the individual. It has been difficult?
«I started very well already from qualifying. After only one round I got the pass to go directly to the semifinals. Then I saw it in the final with the talented British Kathryn Morton, but I won 48 to 37 ».
A year to frame 2021, first the high school diploma then even three European medals.
“A busy year, I would say, but everything went beautifully. First the scientific maturity (with a nice 100, ed), then the Europeans. Too bad for the pandemic that has made everything more complicated, even if it was easier for our sport than others. Distance is the rule in archery ».
What will he do when he grows up?
“Still do not know. Meanwhile, I enrolled in Cagliari at the faculty of electrical engineering, then we’ll see. The only certain thing is that I will never abandon my bow, so far it has given me a lot, even a boyfriend. His name is Filippo, he is also an archer. Here, I would say that archery is a good way to make new friends, as well as to find boyfriends of course ».