Olympics + 'Hunger Games' = a big boost for archery
The blockbuster young adult trilogy 鈥�The Hunger Games鈥� by Suzanne Collins is being credited as one of the factors behind the rise in popularity of archery at this year鈥檚 Olympic Games.
US Olympic archer Khatuna Lorig, who trained 鈥淗unger Games鈥� star Jennifer Collins to use her bow and arrow to play Katniss Everdeen in the film version of Collins鈥� first book, said she has seen a huge rise in public awareness of the sport.
鈥淲hen I train in North Hollywood, you have to get there two hours early to get a chance to shoot,鈥� she said in an interview with .
American archer Brady Ellison, who is competing in the Olympics, said that he had seen a rise in the sport鈥檚 popularity in the US after 鈥淗unger Games鈥� and the release of 鈥�Brave,鈥� the new Pixar film about a Scottish princess who loves using her bow and arrow.
鈥淚 do feel like this year that with all the movies and stuff that has come out, especially in the States, we are getting a lot more recognition for the sport,鈥� Ellison told the Tribune.
Archery USA, a national group, even wrote a letter to author Collins, thanking her for bringing the sport into the limelight.
鈥淲hen Katniss Everdeen started brandishing her bow and arrows on movie screens across America, our phones began (literally, began) ringing nonstop,鈥� the letter read.
Peter Jones of the Governing Body of the sport of archery in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, told that in the United Kingdom, 鈥淗unger Games鈥� hasn鈥檛 had as much of an effect on the sport鈥檚 popularity, but that the breaking of two world records by South Korean athlete Im Dong-hyun was bringing archery to the public鈥檚 attention again.
鈥淚t's a great sport for the family to do together,鈥� he said of the activity鈥檚 appeal. 鈥淎bsolutely anyone can do it.鈥�
