Megan Havers is no ordinary teenager. Not only did she complete her GCSEs last summer like many others, but
she also competed in her very first Olympics – fulfilling a dream she’d had for over half her life…
Megan’s sport of choice is Archery and at 16, she was the youngest archer at the Paris games…
It was an experience which has left this talented teen determined to strike gold when she gets her next Olympic shot in 2028.
Picture credit: Archery GB
“When I lost in the 1/8th round against the Korean – who went on to win, I was like ‘do you know what – L.A – 2028, I’m going to win it,’ she tells Pukaar.
“Competing in front of a crowd on the Olympic stage, it definitely made me realise how much I actually want this in my life.
“The aspirations that Paris gave me was huge. I have that drive in me now. It makes me want to train even harder – compete harder. I want to be the successful archer that I saw win.”
Megan, who placed a respectable 9th, hails from the Leicestershire village of Markfield. Competitive from a young age, she discovered Archery during a ‘Haven’ caravan holiday. Aged 7, she picked up a bow and beat her family at the sport – the instructor declaring that she was ‘a natural.’ From that moment, her passion was ignited and she never looked back…
“On my eighth birthday, my Mum and Dad got me a beginners course at Hinckley Archers. From there I bought a bow, started training once a week and then started representing my county, region and finally my country,” she revealed.
“Once I got involved in the sport I was like ‘yeah, can’t get out now! This is what I want to do.’”
“It’s quite addictive, and there’s so many levels to it as well – so many different categories so you can’t really get bored,” she adds.
“When you have a bow and you shoot the perfect shot, it’s just so satisfying – watching the arrow fly into the middle of the target. I love it.”
Megan often trains for six hours at a time in a field beside her house. Mental resilience, coupled with a super competitive nature are two things which make her such an exceptional archer.
“I was always competitive – even with Christmas dinners and games, I’ve always had to win!” she says.
“I really love being under pressure and having to perform under it is something I thrive on.
“Training by myself means I have to be very disciplined and regimented. To go outside in a rainy field in the middle of winter and shoot for two hours straight, you have to have that mental stability,” she goes on to explain.
“My whole family is hardworking and super competitive, so I’ve always had a great baseline of what’s expected of me and what I expect of myself.”
To follow Megan’s sporting journey, follow: www.instagram.com/archerygbofficial
