Tim Cuddihy - Australia

Australia’s Tim Cuddihy will enter Athens as the newly-crowned world junior champion. The 17-year-old won the title in Lilleshall, United Kingdom, last month, triumphing over a quality field which included his Olympic team-mate, David Barnes.

This was Cuddihy’s second major individual success at a world junior championship – at the 2002 junior worlds he won the individual (beating Barnes in the final) and team cadet events to mark his emergence as an archer of rare quality.

Cuddihy also placed fourth at last year’s senior world championships in New York, losing his semi-final 109-107 to eventual champion Michele Frangilli of Italy.

Cuddihy is known as a cool customer – he can often be found listening to music through headphones up until just before competition.

Like his close friend Barnes, he has benefited from the experience of coach Ki Sik Lee and Sydney 2000 gold medallist Simon Fairweather at training at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. Cuddihy, like other members of the squad, have been strengthened mentally by some of Lee’s more unique methods, such as turning the water sprinklers on to the archers as they are about to shoot and blaring loud music through speakers at them.

Cuddihy has won team gold medals at both the German Grand Prix in June and the Golden Arrow Grand Prix in July this year.