Mel Clarke. PHOTO: Matthew Usher.

Mel Clarke

Sport: Archery - compound

From: Taverham

Age: 30

Taverham archer Mel Clarke’s first taste of the sport was at a ‘have a go’ session with the Girl Guides in the late nineties - since then, she has gone on to win a number of international titles.

She made her international debut in 2002 at the European Championships and one of her career highlights was winning the 2005 World Championships in Massa Carrera, Italy, in the team compound less than two years after she was told that she would never be able to shoot again following illness.

At the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, she won a bronze medal in the women’s individual compound.

Ahead of this year’s Games, she said she felt “excited, prepared and ready” after a good year with some great results.

Going into London 2012, Clarke, who is now based in Worcester, had recently beaten the current world and Paralympic champion to take gold at the Stoke Mandeville Invitational tournament - the last major international event before the Paralympic Games - and said she had been training hard in all aspects to give herself the best chance of another medal-winning performance this week.

At the weekend, she recorded a score of 648 from her 72 arrows at the Royal Artillery Barracks as she got her quest for a second Paralympic medal under way.

Achievements to date:

2002 European Champion

2003 1st disabled archer in Europe to make able bodied team

2003 3x trips with able bodied team

2005 World champion

2006 European Bronze

2007 World Champions Team

2008 Beijing Paralympic Bronze

2009 World Champs - silver

2009 Team World champs gold

2010 European Team silver

2011 Qualification slot for 2012