There are four events on the Olympic program, as men and women will compete in both individual and team events.  Archers shoot at a target divided into 10 scoring zones located 70 metres away.  Competition begins with a ranking round before a single elimination bracket is used to determine the medallists.
 
In London 2012 the archery competitions will take place at Lord's Cricket Ground, long viewed as the home of cricket and the game's spiritual headquarters.  It is home to the famouss Ashes urn, a prize for which the English and Australian cricket teams have played since 1882.  

London 2012 Storylines:
The South Koreans have dominated women's Olympic archery, winning six straight gold medals in the individual event from 1984 to 2004 and 15 of the 21 total medals available in the individual event since Los Angeles 1984.  The nation has won every Olympic gold medal in the women's team event since it was added to the program in Seoul 1988.

The South Korean men have been almost as impressive, winning four of the six Olympic gold medals ever awarded in the team event.  They look to move that trend to the individual event, which has seen five different countries win the last five Olympic gold medals.  South Korean men finished first and second in the individual competition and first overall in the team competition at the 2011 World Championships.

Canada's Outlook:
Canada has never won an Olympic archery medal.  Jay Lyon, who finishing 10th in Beijing 2008 for Canada's best ever individual result, has earned himself a spot at London 2012.  He will likely be joined by Crispin Duenas, who was a member of the team in Beijing 2008 and finished 10th overall at the 2009 World Championships.
 
Canada has never qualified for the women's team event at the Olympic Games.  They look to change that in 2012 after the trio of Kateri Vrakking, Alana MacDougall and Marie-Pier Beaudet won the bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.  Beaudet was the lone women's player in both Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.  Canada will have the opportunity to qualify both a men's and a women's team at the Final World Qualification Tournament in Ogden, Utah in June 2012.

Other International Athletes to Follow:

MEN

Im Dong-Hyun – South Korea

• Won the 2007 World title and entered Beijing 2008 as a medal favourite but finished ninth
• Rebounded to win the silver medal at the 2009 World Championships
• Won both team and mixed team gold at 2011 World Championships

Lee Chang-Hwan – South Korea

• Won the 2009 World title after finishing 14th at the 2008 Olympic Games
• A member of the powerful South Korean team that won gold at the 2007 and 2009 World Championships and 2008 Olympic Games

Viktor Ruban – Ukraine

• Won gold at the 2008 Olympic Games after taking bronze in the team event in Athens 2004
• Won bronze at the 2009 World Championships

WOMEN

Joo Hyun-Jung – South Korea

• Won the 2009 World title after finishing seventh at the 2008 Olympic Games
• A member of the powerful South Korean team that won gold at the 2008 Olympic Games and 2009 World Championships

Yun Ok-Hee – South Korea

• Won the 2008 Olympic bronze medal in the individual event and helped her South Korean trio to gold in the team event
• Finished sixth at the 2009 World Championships but won gold at the 2010 Asian Games