David Barnes - Australia

David Barnes is one of the most flamboyant and promising talents on the international archery scene. At just 18, he has already joined the elite ranks of senior competition and enters his first Olympics in Athens as a medal favourite.

Barnes, originally from Adelaide but now based at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, won the bronze medal at the 2003 world championships in New York. A month later, he again won a bronze medal at the Olympic Test Event in Athens last August.

The strong left-hander has also enjoyed an outstanding junior career. At the 2002 junior world championships, he won a team gold medal and an individual silver medal in the cadet division, losing the final to his Athens team-mate, Tim Cuddihy. He has held numerous world records.

Barnes is known for his crazy hairstyles and odd fashion sense. He handpaints his own bows – a current bow is painted in the colours of the Australian aboriginal flag.

Barnes won the bronze medal in the individual event and a team gold medal at the Golden Arrow Grand Prix in Antalya, Turkey, last month. This followed up a team gold medal at the German Grand Prix in June.

To prepare for Athens, Barnes has joined his team-mates at Aix Les Bains in France, where they have shared training facilities with Australia’s Olympic triathlon team.