Lothersdale archer's worst score of the year is good enough for top spot (From Craven Herald)

Lothersdale archer's worst score of the year is good enough for top spot

4:12pm Thursday 30th August 2012 in News

Danielle Brown shot her worst score of the year as she began her London 2012 Paralympic archery campaign with the ranking round – but it was still good enough for first overall.

The 24-year-old from Lothersdale shot a score of 338 from her first 36 arrows at the Royal Artillery Barracks and recorded the exact same number with her last 36 to end with 676 overall.

That was the best score of the 12-strong field in the women’s individual compound open event and was exactly the same number as her Paralympic record set at Beijing 2008.

However, it was 21 down on the world record Brown set at the European Championships in France two years ago, where she won gold, and her worst ranking round of the year so far.

Brown’s emotions were mixed as a result but she is confident that she won’t be disappointed when she next takes to the range at the Royal Artillery Barracks for the quarter-finals on Sunday.

“It is always nice to shoot well and record a really good score in the ranking round and I shot the worst score of the year,” said Brown – who won gold at Beijing 2008.

“But my worst score of the year is still top, and at the end of the day you can’t get complacent with the ranking round.

“It is the head-to-heads that count and I am not shooting until Sunday now, so I get lots of practice time.

“I have been really fortunate to go away to tournaments so I have had the experience of maybe not being too happy with my score in the ranking and shot well in the head-to-head matches.

“So in that respect I am quite confident that it doesn’t mean it is going to be bad.”

Brown’s first-placed ranking gives her a bye to the quarter-finals – a situation enjoyed by fellow archer Phillip Bottomley after his performance in the men’s individual recurve standing ranking round.