🎯 What Is a 720 Round? (Olympic Target Archery)
The 720 Round, also called the Olympic Round, is one of the most popular target archery formats in the world. It’s the format used in the Olympic Games and major international competitions.
🏹 Format Overview
- Total Arrows: 72
- Ends: 12 ends of 6 arrows each
- Target Face:
- Recurve/Longbow: 122 cm, 10-ring target
- Compound: 80 cm, 6-ring target
- Distance:
- Recurve/Longbow: 70 meters (approx. 77 yards)
- Compound: 50 meters (approx. 55 yards)
A perfect score is 720 points — that’s 72 arrows all hitting the 10 ring.
🔢 Scoring
Each ring on the target scores more points the closer it is to the center. Here's the breakdown:
- White: 1–2 points
- Black: 3–4 points
- Blue: 5–6 points
- Red: 7–8 points
- Gold: 9–10 points
- The innermost gold ring is called the "X" ring, or Spider, and is used for tie-breaking
- An arrow only needs to touch the edge of a scoring ring to earn the higher point value
⏱️ Time Limits & Rules
- 4-minute time limit per end (to shoot 6 arrows)
- Standard archery whistle commands are used to signal when to shoot and when to retrieve arrows
- Disobeying commands can result in disqualification or a score of zero for that end
🧠 Good to Know
- The round is shot from flat, open ground with no obstacles between archer and target
- Multiple archers may shoot at the same target face
- Junior archers often shoot at reduced distances depending on age group
The 720 Round is all about precision, consistency, and mental focus. It’s a great challenge for competitive and recreational archers alike!
