Expert: Scotto - 11/21/2011

Question
Dear Prof Scott

Do you feel this variation of Archery game can be introduced as a Good Olympics Sport in future ?

Game Description : To win the hand of Draupadi, Arjuna has to shoot the eye of a fish that's on a revolving platform while aiming using a mirror. That Arjuna was a good archer.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Swayamvara_Draupadi_Arjuna_Archery.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_archery

A Revolving Platform holding a fish toy say kept at 8-10-12 feet above the ground and moving at 10-15 revolutions per minute.

A Archer will look down at the mirror on the Ground and hit the fish eye.

More the Revolutions per minute, more the speed, hence more difficult to hit the fish eye.

Can we also use a Reflecting Pool as a medium instead of a mirror at the ground ?

We have to Standardize the following to make it a Global Sport/Game.

1. The Revolving Object kept at how much distance from the Ground level
i.e. 10, 15, 20, 30 etc feet ?

2. Fish Toy Target Material -> Plastic, Wood etc.

The Fish Toy Can be also replaced by Concentric Circles Target Medium currently used in Archery Olympics Games.

3. Reflecting Surface on the Ground -> Mirror , Reflecting Pool etc

4. Number Of Revolutions per minute - 10, 20, 30 RPM speed the Revolving Object Moves.

Once this are globally standardized, this can be considered a good archery variation sport.

This Game would be more challenging for a Archer than the current Archery Sport played at the Olympics ?

Thanks & Regards,
Prashant S Akerkar

Answer
Yes, archery sounds like a good game for the Olympics.
They could introduce several varieties, just like track.
What I mean is track has the 100m, 200m, 1km, 2km, etc.

For archery, as said in (1)-(4), there are several aspects to vary.
Just like in track, each one could generate a separate events.
I mean, in track, you can sprint, run long distance, jump, and throw items.
Just as you have said, in archery, different factors could be varied.
Could the weight of the arrow or the strength of the bow be varied as well?

If this were held in a big building, there would be no wind to notice.
However, if it were held outside, that would introduce a bit of randomness
since the wind has such a huge impact on where the arrow goes.

That sounds like a good event to add since it was probably done a lot back when the olypics evolved.  Back then, of course, it was reserved for war, but nowadays, it can be used as a sport.