Stubbs on target ahead of Paralympic selection trials (From Warrington Guardian)

Stubbs on target ahead of Paralympic selection trials

1:41pm Thursday 19th April 2012 in Sport By Christopher Terris Taylor

WARRINGTON’S Paralympic archery ace John Stubbs could not be in better form ahead of his make-or-break selection trials for London 2012.

The 46-year-old Woolston resident and reining Paralympic compound archery gold medallist recently returned victorious from an international competition in America, and feels he could not be better prepared ahead of a crucial Team GB selection camp.

“We were out in Arizona for warm-weather training and for an international competition called the Arizona Cup,” he said.

“It was attended by a number of top Paralympic archers and I won the competition, which puts me in really good stead going forward towards this year’s Paralympics.”

While the Americans are considered to be Team GB’s fiercest competition for medals at London 2012, Stubbs has to look much closer to home to find his next rivals.

His heroics in Beijing in 2008 was enough to secure two places for Team GB in London this summer, but the fierce selection process ensures that the British number one will have to fight for that place at the first of two selection competitions next weekend.

He said: “The immediate competition is among my GB teammates. Fortunately, I recently had a training camp with them and we had an informal competition among ourselves. I came top of the pile in that, too, so everything is going really nicely.”

At Archery GB’s base at Lilleshall, he will face a gruelling shoot-out to earn the right to return for a second selection weekend three weeks later.

He is trying to balance his training in the hope of keeping himself fresh for the competition, but expects to ramp up the pressure if he is able to win his way into another Paralympic Games.

“My main focus is getting through the selection shoot, so I am trying to train without burning myself out,” he said.

“I’m shooting a lot, but if I get selection then I will increase the amount that I train and really put the pressure on myself as London approaches.”