Para-archer Nick Thomas is over the moon after winning two silver medals in two competitions over the weekend.
Para-archer Nick Thomas is over the moon after winning two silver medals in two competitions over the weekend!
This achievement means that Nick has a chance of representing Great Britain at the World Championship in 2025, possibly in Korea.
Nick, 46, from Talysarn, Dyffryn Nantlle, is married to Marie, 42, and dad to Cadi, 14 and Hari, 10.
He is registered blind and works as a development officer with the North Wales Society of the Blind in Bangor.
Last Saturday (September 14) he competed in the National Disability Championships at Lilleshall, near Telford.
Then, he competed in the British Blind Sports National Championships on the Sunday, coming second in both competitions.
His wife Marie was his spotter - sitting one meter behind the shooter - without the right to do any coaching other than to say where the arrows landed on the target.
Nick's target was to finish the competitions and be happy with his shooting and achieve a score to enable him to join the Great Britain squad.
Since he had a second small stroke about a month ago, Nick has “a bit of weakness” in his left side.
He said: “I wasn't quite sure what kind of level I was at after the most recent stroke. My practice hadn't gone great because of the balance and weakness.”
Nick narrowly lost in the final on Saturday.
He said: "I was very happy with the silver medal and getting a score above the level British Blind Sport has set to represent Great Britain."
He shot over 100 arrows on Saturday and 144 on Sunday. The expectation is to be able to shoot six arrows within four minutes!
Although he was tired after the Saturday, he was back on the field ready to shoot at 9 on Sunday morning.
Then his aluminum bow "began to misfire" which was an "equipment malfunction" with the cable holding the rest catching the arrow.
There was nothing for Nick to do but to put his hand up as a sign to the judges that his bow was not aiming correctly - and that he wanted to use his second bow - even though that one does not shoot exactly the same.
Nick said: “I had four arrows left and with 40 seconds to each arrow. Everyone else had to wait until I shot all four.
"I lost a few points but I was happy enough to finish second."
He said: "We knew straight away that there was something wrong - the sound of it was different. All of a sudden I had to work out what was wrong!”
Although he was tired after the Saturday, he was back on the field ready to shoot at 9 on Sunday morning.
"Looking back, to be honest, I'm glad it happened. It prepares me better now to know what to do if it happens again - meaning not wasting time working out what's going on - but putting my hand up and telling the judge before grabbing the other bow.”
Nick said: “This is the first time I've had an equipment malfunction. I know some people would have given up. At the time it was quite frustrating."
He added: “I was very happy that I was going to come second. It happens in sports. You have to learn how to deal with it."
Nick’s next target is to prepare for the indoor season with the British Indoor Championships in April. Then, hopefully aiming for the world championships next year.
