Archery factbox for Athens 2004

ATHENS, July 6 (Reuters) -- Factbox on archery at the August 13-29 Athens Olympics:

HISTORY

The sport of archery dates back to ancient times. The first recorded archery contest of more recent times was staged in Finsbury, England, in 1583.

The International Archery Federation (FITA) was founded in 1931.

Archery joined the Olympic Games as a men's sport in 1900 in Paris and women archers began competing four years later in St Louis. Individual events were included again in 1908 and 1920 and became a fixture in 1972. Team events were added in 1988.

The most successful Olympic archer in history was Belgian Hubert van Innis who won six gold medals and three silvers in 1900 and 1920.

EVENTS

Men's and women's individual events (64 archers in each)

Men's and women's team events (16 teams in each)

2000 CHAMPIONS

Men

Individual: Simon Fairweather (Australia)

Team: South Korea (Oh Kyo-moon, Chang Yong-ho, Kim

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Chung-tae)

Women

Individual: Yun Mi-jin (South Korea)

Team: South Korea (KIm Soo-nyung, Kim Nam-soon, Yum Mi-jin)

OLYMPIC PROGRAMME

August 15: Women's individual eliminations

August 16: Men's individual eliminations

August 17: Men's and women's individual eliminations

August 18: Women's individual quarter-finals

Women's individual semi-finals

Women's individual bronze-medal match

Women's individual final

August 19: Men's individual quarter-finals

Men's individual semi-finals

Men's individual bronze-medal match

Men's individual final

August 20: Women's team event

August 21: Men's team event

VENUES

The ancient marble Panathinaiko Stadium in the centre of

Athens will host the archery. The stadium was used for the first

modern Olympics in 1896 and has been renovated. It will seat 7,500 spectators for the archery competition.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

www.archery.org

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