Dashwood wins U12 Recurve Boys National Championship

The 11-year-old saw off competition from across the UK in the Junior National Outdoor Championships at Lilleshall National Sports Centre.

After coming fifth in November 2012 in the Junior Indoor Nationals at Coventry, Alexander was aiming for at least bronze.

At the halfway mark of six dozen arrows he was delighted to be in third, but his consistency saw him move up through the order to eventually take the lead and comfortably claim the title.

Alexander, of Church End, took up archery after shooting his first arrow at the Leighton Buzzard carnival in 2006 when he was just five years old.

After completing a beginners course as part of an eighth birthday present, his appetite for archery proved insatiable.

He joined the Dunstable Bowmen two years later and the burgeoning talent now has his sights set on an international debut and hopes to one day shoot for Great Britain.

Mum Janet said: “He is just really pleased with his win. He is currently on a talent programme with GB Archery so watch this space!”

Dunstable Bowmen are holding a couple of two-hour ‘Come and Try’ sessions on Saturday, August 31, and Saturday, September 14, on their local field at the London Gliding club near Dunstable.