WOKING archery ace Eleanor Piper says gaining a first-hand insight into fellow sharp-shooter Danielle Brown’s sporting heartbreak can propel her all the way to Paris 2024.
Piper, 22, was recently hand-picked to take part in a special 90-minute Zoom mentoring session with two-time Paralympic archery gold medallist Brown.
The Surrey star was joined by fellow young athletes Marcus Harrison and Sam Smith – who both represent England at powerchair football – and had the unique opportunity to ask questions and engage with the ParalympicsGB great.
Piper narrowly missed out on selection for Tokyo this summer while Brown, who won gold at London 2012, suffered a similar setback when she was declassified from competing in para-archery the following year because of the nature of her disability.
Piper, who was invited onto the call as part of Entain – owner of Ladbrokes and Coral – and SportsAid’s Pitching In initiative, said: “As a British archer myself, I remember the excitement when Danielle won gold at our home Paralympics – and the shock when she was declassified.
“It was fascinating hearing about her journey first-hand and how she dealt with such a set-back.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the session. It was great to be able to ask questions about how to manage work-life balance, and hear all about her experiences at the Games.
“Dani will always be an inspiration not just for her archery career but as much so for her journey afterwards!”
Piper’s archery career is powered by Entain and SportsAid’s innovative partnership that helps her access funding for training, travel and equipment.
The investment is supported by Paralympic legend Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Piper is taking full advantage ahead of a crucial year of her development.
Piper’s younger sister Louisa, 17 – who also listened in to the call with Brown – is another rising star of Archery GB and the pair fired their way to Under-21 European Youth Championship silver in Greece in 2018.
She’s now got the prestigious Archery GB National Tour in her sights before gearing up for a crack at the European Field Championships in Zagreb this September.
Learning from a two-time Paralympic champion isn’t a bad way to prepare and Brown, who also won Commonwealth gold in 2010, revelled in inspiring the next generation over a memorable 90 minutes.
“It’s great to know all about the three athletes and hear their questions,” said 33-year-old.
“It’s about enjoying the journey – they are crazy times we’re living in but there are so many positives we can pull out of it and so many things we can learn.
“Invest in yourself and get the most out of yourself as a person and as an athlete. Confidence is the most valuable gift you can ever give yourself, so really work on that and spend time focusing on the positives out of the day.
“That confidence side of things is so important – and I hope it all goes well for you guys in the future.”
Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, is proud to be championing the next generation of British sporting heroes by providing talented young athletes with financial support and personal development opportunities in partnership with SportsAid. Visit entaingroup.com to find out more.
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