Imboden looking for glory on home soil

Swiss athlete Martin Imboden believes home support can lead to victory at the 2014 Para-Archery European Championships 24 Jun 2014
Imagen
Archers compete at the London 2012 Paralympic Games

Archery competitors get down to business at the Royal Artillery Barracks.

ⒸMarcus Hartmann
By Billie Marshall | for the IPC

“I have never participated in such an important event on home soil and in front of spectators from my own country,”

Swiss athlete Martin Imboden will be hoping home support will be a contributing factor as he arrives at the 2014 Para-Archery European Championships looking for European glory.

Arriving in the best form possible, Imboden prepared for the Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland, by shooting a world record score in the compound open category at a recent event in Basel. It was a score that heightened expectation and optimism from the Swiss faithful.

Imboden expects a different feel to the event which takes places between 26 July and 4 August.

“I have never participated in such an important event on home soil and in front of spectators from my own country,” he said. “This will give me an additional boost of energy – in a very positive way.”

Having shot a world record previously, Imboden is coming into the event in a rich vein of form that could see him be one of the favourites, but he is adamant nothing will change.

He said: “I’ll continue my training as usual and will also take part in smaller competitions so this enables me to continue my momentum going into the European Championships.”

Despite the competition getting ever closer, it seems Imboden is casting his eye to potential success at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, but he knows qualification is the most important thing at the moment.

He explained: “I need to keep shooting results that will allow me to qualify for Rio and a good result here in my home nation will go along way to securing that.”

Although Imboden and his coach cannot anticipate what the future holds, both are observing other archers very closely in an attempt to improve in any way possible and that includes able-bodied athletes and competitions as well.

However, the Swiss athlete has no plans to start competing at that level more regularly, stating: “I need a reasonable balance between competition periods and non-competition periods. Increasing the able-bodied competitions would influence this balance in a negative way.”

Imboden is going to experience a special moment in representing his country at a major event in his home nation. It will bring added pressure and expectation, but should be a proud moment nonetheless for him, and all Swiss athletes competing.

For more information about the 2014 Para-Archery European Championships, please click here.