TATWORTH youngster Hannah Wells secured a national title in longbow archery earlier this month, just eight weeks after getting started in the discipline.

The 12-year-old, who is in Year 7 at Holyrood Academy, has only been doing archery for 20 months, after she completed a six-week beginners’ course with Lacetown Archers, Honiton.

Wells began with a recurve bow in October 2016, and in the spring and summer of 2017 she set several county records as an Under-12 recurve archer, while also making it on to the county team.

Eight weeks ago she decided she wanted to try longbow shooting, and placed first or second in several competitions.

On July 7-8 she participated in the Junior National Outdoor Championships at Archery GB’s headquarters in Lilleshall, Shropshire.

This is the largest tournament of the year for junior archers, so Wells was competing alongside 300 junior archers across all age groups and bow types.

Chard & Ilminster News:

PRIZE: Hannah Wells collects her trophy as national longbow champion.

After the Saturday (July 7) she stood in second place, having shot a new personal best.

Sunday was championship day, and she finished it as the Under-14 outdoor national longbow champion.

This was an amazing achievement given her short time shooting longbow, surpassing her own and her family’s expectations.

She is grateful to Holyrood for their support, in particular allowing her to miss a day’s school to attend a recent shoot at Dunster Castle.