THREE Alton & Four Marks Archery Club members travelled to Shropshire to take part in the Junior National Outdoor Championships, held at the National Sports Centre at Lilleshall.

Gracie Belmonte, from Alton, was a first-time competitor in the U14 compound bow section. She had suffered a few technical issues at previous shoots and conditions were not ideal, but she nevertheless achieved an excellent score of 1374 over 144 arrows and was rewarded with a superb bronze medal.

It also earned Gracie the classification of junior master bowman, a title held by only the best young archers in the country.

Luca Wright of Four Marks competed in the 1440 competition for U18s, shooting a recurve bow similar to those seen at the Olympics. Shooting a format normally for adults, he kept his nerve to come fourth with a respectable 877.

Luca shot a more traditional imperial Bristol 1 round for U18s on the Sunday, when the weather was more settled, and secured 15th with a score of 797.

Aspen Salisbury took part in the U16 recurve section and, although not at her best, finished a creditable 23rd.

Several rising stars from Alton & Four Marks have attained their first-class and junior bowman classifications this season, while Gracie, Aspen and Anaya Cole have represented Hampshire at inter-county shoots.

• Alton & Four Marks Archery Club are running a beginner’s course on Saturday mornings this month. For more information, email afmarcheryclub@gmail. com or visit the club’s website www.altonarchers .co.uk