Nick counting down the days to the world para-archery championships in South Korea
A Gwynedd man is hoping to secure a gold medal at the World Para-Archery Championships in South Korea in just over a week.
Nick Thomas is registered blind and works as a development officer with the North Wales Society of the Blind in Bangor, Gwynedd.
As a distinguished athlete, Nick is a former British 100m and long-jump champion and has played futsal for the England blind football team - as there was no team in Wales.
He is also an experienced para-archer and has won medals at British, European, and World Championships.
Para-archers shoot their own arrows - even though they cannot see the target.
Instead, each archer has a ‘spotter’ who sits a meter behind them.
However, the spotter has no right to do any coaching other than to tell the archer where the arrows land on the target.
They use a coloured coding and clock system to describe the position of the arrow.
For example, if the arrow lands at three o'clock on the red instead of the yellow centre, the archer can then adjust a little on his bow.
But they have to be quick because it is required to shoot the arrows within just a few minutes!
Nick's wife, Marie, is usually his spotter but his brother-in-law, Tom Hutton, will be accompanying him to the city of Gwangju in South Korea.
The championship will be held there between September 21-29 and Nick, 47, from Talysarn, Dyffryn Nantlle, is counting the days until then!
Nick has been selected to represent Great Britain but he is determined to keep his feet on the ground.
He said: “I have to believe that I am good enough to win or I don't think there is any point in me going.
“You have to believe in yourself; you need to have a little bit of confidence and maybe some arrogance.
“I'm going to try my best and the hope is that my best on the day will be enough to win.”
He said: "I have competed in many different places... Rome, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and France, but going to compete in South Korea is a step up.
“I have prepared more for this than any other competition I have done in the past."
Archery is as popular as football in South Korea, and there is a professional league there.
Nick has been inspired by the venue in Gwangju which has a dedicated archery centre.
He said: "I am looking forward to hearing the Korean language spoken and hoping to pick up one or two words."
After arriving in Gwangju, Nick will spend the first day familiarising himself with the place and getting over the jet lag.
There will be a day of unofficial practice and time to check his equipment and get used to the sounds, the wind, the noise, and the hustle and bustle before having a day of official practice.
At that time, the competitors will wear their full kit and practice on the targets in the qualification round.
The competitors will get four minutes to shoot 6 arrows - a total of 72 arrows - at a target 30 meters away which will be scored.
Then there will be a 'final' round where three arrows will be shot in two minutes before the final competition for the medals held in the city’s main square.
Nick said: “I enjoy that atmosphere, people shouting and cheering and the music going between the shooting. That relaxes me. When you’re shooting everyone is quiet.”
It will be possible to follow Nick's progress on our social media.
