'Meant to happen' - accidental archer Wise on Paris

Alex Wise won the recurve men's team bronze at the Hyundai World Cup in Antalya in 2018

While on holiday in Turkey a few years back, a teenage Alex Wise and his family picked up a bow and arrow as a fun activity to do together.

Now, almost a decade later, Wise has been selected to represent Great Britain at archery at the Olympics in Paris this summer.

"We enjoyed it so much that when we got home, we searched Archery GB's club finder, found a club close to home and pretty much joined up straight away," Wise told BBC Look North.

The club was Bowmen of Walker in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where Wise would meet the chairman and his future coach David Harrison.

"He [Harrison] taught me how to shoot, how to get to a good level - the archery GB Olympic squad got me further but he was who I would give the credit to," Wise added.

This will be the 23-year-old's first Olympics but he was part of the squad that earned qualification for Tokyo 2020, only to be omitted from the trip to Japan after the pandemic hindered his progress.

"Covid damaged the momentum that we had and affected how certain people train so when it came to doing the trials, I just slightly missed out," Wise said.

"That was kind of gutting but I think it spurred me on."

Newcastle-born Wise was selected as a reserve in Tokyo but participating at his maiden Olympics in Paris will be special for the World Cup bronze medallist.

"France has a huge archery fan base, a huge history of archery," Wise said.

"We qualified at the last available opportunity to get here only a couple of weeks ago.

"I think this is how it was meant to happen."

The Games will offer a big step up in attendance than the right-handed archer is used to - but Wise is ready to relish the extra attention.

"I think, if I can remember right, the stands are going to hold 8,000 people. I've probably shot in front of a couple of hundred at most in the past," Wise said.

"I love the final stage so I'm looking forward to entertaining all those people."

His former coach Harrison died in 2022 but Wise knows what it would have meant to the man who nurtured his passion for archery.

"Last time, I came so close and to be honest he was there the whole time so I couldn't have asked more of him then," said Wise.

"I think he would have been super happy, super proud that I finally get to achieve my dream."