TEAM 2012: Archer Cavanagh to begin qualification campaign in earnest

By Tom Reynolds, Sportsbeat

 ARCHER John Cavanagh insists this month's European Para-Archery Championships hold added importance with qualification for the London 2012 Paralympics set to begin in earnest.

READY TO GO: Archer John Cavanagh will begin his London 2012 Paralympic qualification campaign in earnest this month

The 53-year-old claimed gold at the Athens Games in 2004 and followed up that with silver in Beijing two years ago.

Competitions for Cavanagh have been few and far between since, but his passage to London 2012 will begin to boil at the European Championships, which begin in Vichy on August 8.

"The European Championships are important for two reasons," said Cavanagh.

"It is a major event and also where the qualification period for the London 2012 Paralympics starts to get going.

"In our sport, countries have to compete at major events like the Europeans to get on the world ranking list and guarantee ourselves a place.

"Even as host nation we don't have a guaranteed spot. There are a certain number of places but there are so many categories that we would easily fill our quota.

"We still need plenty more so we have to make sure we get up in the world rankings."

With so many fresh faces coming into the sport, Cavanagh is in the dark about who will be his main rivals at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich in two years' time.

"It is a strong sport sometimes because we probably won't see the guys from America and the Far East until the World Championships next year.

"It means we will be going into the unknown a little bit and, with Paralympic sport, you are never quite sure who you are going to meet.

"You don't know who is going to come out of the woodwork, which competitor might have had an injury and arrives in the sport and is world class. It is difficult sometimes.

"People develop very quickly so you never know quite what to expect by the time London 2012 comes around."

Visa is proud to be Presenting Partner of Team 2012, a team of 1,200 athletes across the UK who are aiming to compete at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For more information go to www.lifeflowsbetter.com