Northampton University student sets sights on competing for Team GB in the 2024 Olympics

A 19-year-old student at the university of Northampton, who has demonstrated a profound talent for archery, is hoping to compete on behalf of Team GB at the 2024 Olympic games.

Ruby Paul is ranked as the seventh best women’s archer in the UK and she has enjoyed a steady rise from a novice schoolgirl, who had never picked up a bow, to an Olympic hopeful in just eight years.

The 19-year-old, from Rushden, is studying Sports Rehabilitation and Conditioning and is at the start of a four year training programme to try and make the Paris Olympic games. Even the pandemic has not stopped her from putting in the required groundwork.

Miss Paul said: “I share a flat in Northampton with my boyfriend, Jacob, who is also an archer. When lockdown came and training was put on hold, we got around it by putting up a target in our flat and practiced with that. It was pretty bizarre but it stopped us losing our focus.”

Ruby almost had her passion for archery scuppered at an early age, when she was a pupil at Stanwick Primary School.

She said: “There was a taster session at school and I told my mum I really wanted to take part. For some reason, I wasn’t signed up and I then had to sit there and watch my older brothers, Harry and Louis have a go.

“I was a bit bemused, so when the chance to join a beginner’s course came around when I joined secondary school, I was determined to take part.”

Ruby completed the beginner’s course and then joined a local club, which saw her make rapid progress.

She went on to perform excellently in local, national and international competitions, which culminated with her representing Great Britain’s youth team in Greece at the ripe age of 17 in 2018.

Talking about her experience, she said: “It was a big deal for me. I remember I had really bad jelly legs when I was in my first match and there was a big screen for spectators to watch the action close up. I just had to tell myself to not look at the big screen and I got back in the zone.”

Ruby overcame her nerves and landed a bronze medal.

Her international success continued through to 2019 when she competed in the European Youth Cup Circuit in Slovenia and Romania. There, she finished sixth in the juniors U21 category. Ruby made her World Youth Championships debut in Madrid.

Ruby, who is coached by 2010 Commonwealth champion - Nicky Hunt - is still one year away from being eligible to join Great Britain’s senior set up but she has her sights firmly set on the 2024 Olympics in France.

Elite participants in archery have to rely on grants, sponsorship and other sources of funding to compete. Therefore, Ruby is also focussing on a career in sports rehabilitation, which is why she joined the university of Northampton.

Ruby said: “I love the atmosphere – the teaching is delivered in an informal and friendly way and the lecturers are really approachable, which is so different to being at school.

“You get to discuss various aspects of sports rehab and conditioning, and are encouraged to weigh up which treatments would be best for each particular condition. It’s been a real eye-opener and feels like the natural course for me to do.