Future Olympians can take comfort knowing that staff at the University of Pretoria's Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI) are not only accomplished in their fields of expertise but also have personal experience in performance sport. 

Dr Jill Borresen, SEMLI's chief operations officer, is one who certainly knows what it takes to compete at the highest level. She represented South Africa at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and the 2000 Sydney Olympics as an archer.

"Many might think archery is only about taking aim before letting an arrow fly, but it is about so much more. Getting to hit a bullseye takes skill . . . real skill. In theory, it means making no mistakes. That is, however, easier said than done. There is never any telling what the brain will do when under pressure."

Borresen can vouch for it from personal experience. Her 1996 Olympic debut certainly did not go as she had hoped because of nerves. A year later she finished 10th during the World Championships in Canada. During the 2000 Olympics, she qualified for the elimination rounds.

Archery takes skill, dedication and composure – Borresen knew this from years of competing. After making her Olympic debut, Borresen felt there has got to be more to becoming a champion. She made it her mission to find out what it is. It meant asking many questions. She also developed an interest in nutrition and the psychological aspects that go with competing at the highest level.

Borresen was already a qualified architect, but her curiosity led to her enrolling for a BSc in biomedical sciences degree. She went on to her Masters and PhD at UCT/MRC Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine (Essm).

"The underlying principle is if you do precisely the same thing with every single arrow, you are going to get exactly the same result. To do so means you can't let things rattle you. You've got to be able to block out nearly everything but the weather when taking aim.

"You will perform at your best if you are in the zone, blocking out your conscious thoughts and letting the subconscious take over. That's the sweet spot. 

"People think because archers are not running around, they don't need to be fit. Shooting a lot of arrows, however, requires the smaller muscle groups that are used to be well-conditioned. The best way to do so is to shoot arrow after arrow perfectly. Archers also need to do some strength and cardiovascular training because shooting requires you to stand for most of the day, so you need a strong 'base'. And the lower the resting heart rate, the easier it becomes to shoot the perfect arrow."

Borresen has since put her bow and arrows away for good and has no plans to retake aim.

"I am kind of an all or nothing person. If I was to take up archery again, it would be to be internationally competitive again. Nowadays I prefer running and mountain biking and playing the odd game of squash."

SEMLI, at the University of Pretoria, has a multi-disciplinary team of sports clinicians and scientists qualified and experienced in optimizing sports performance. Contact them at 012 420 6033 / 6133 or  [email protected]