(LifeWire) - In terms of visibility, archery gets the shaft. But it creates high drama when gold medals are on the line. Presumably sane people train up to eight hours a day to perfect slinging an arrow at a target 70 meters away, and who are we to stop them? We zero in on this niche sport to give you a can't-miss primer of one of man's oldest pastimes. Ready, aim, read.
About Olympic Archery: 64 men and 64 women enter - only one of each gender leaves with an individual gold medal around their neck. Learn how the competition unfolds and discover a little in-flight trivia.
Olympic Archery History: From Genghis Khan to William Tell to the dominant South Korean women's team, archery has a proud and fierce history. Olympic Archery Action Image Gallery: Get a clear picture of what you need to conquer to gain Olympic glory: the technique, the target, your gear, your weapon, the judges and a quiver full of archery jargon. Where Are They Now? Actress Geena Davis failed in her bid to make the 2000 U.S. Olympic team, but not before giving archery a Hollywood-style publicity boost.LifeWire, a part of The New York Times Company, provides original and syndicated online lifestyle content.