As we step into March and to recognise gender equity month, let’s reflect on the origins of archery’s mixed team event, a game-changer in breaking barriers and creating equal opportunities for both men and women.
First introduced on the Olympic stage at Tokyo 2020 and returning for Paris 2024, this innovative format emphasises teamwork, trust and inclusivity, earning global admiration.
Although archery has long been a core sport in the Games, it was defined by individual events for men and women until 1988, when separate men’s and women’s team events were introduced.
But this still left talented female archers from smaller countries unable to compete at the highest level, as they often didn’t have enough counterparts to form a fully-fledged women’s team.
The idea for the mixed team event emerged around 20 years ago, thanks to Alison Williamson. Frustrated with the lack of opportunities for female archers, especially in smaller nations, the six-time British Olympian was one of the earliest advocates for a change in the mid-2000s.
“Not only was this overtly sexist, but it also prevented some of the world’s developing countries and minnows, in archery terms, from sending female participants,” she said.
Williamson advocated for a format where one male and one female archer could compete together, a change that would level the playing field and create more opportunities for women in archery.
