AN ARCHER who honed her craft in Droitwich has struck gold for Great Britain in her very first senior appearance at an international archery tournament.
Emelia Hughes, aged 19, has recently won gold in the recurve mixed team archery event at 2025 Veronica’s Cup in Slovenia in May.
She scooped gold alongside her teamate Johnny Smart. It was Emelia’s senior debut for Team GB after a distinguished junior career which began in 2022 at the European Youth Cup in Romania.
Emilia is an engineering apprentice at Yamazaki Mazak in Worcester. Having first picked up a bow and arrow at Warwick Castle while recovering from a knee operation in her early teens, she quickly developed a passion for archery.
This led to her joining a local club in Droitwich to improve her ability before entering the GB Archery Pathway Scheme in 2021 and making regular appearances for Team GB on both the European and World youth circuits.
She said: “I am absolutely delighted to have performed so well in my first senior competition and never thought I’d be coming away with a gold medal.
“I had great support from my coaches, my family, and of course my teammate Johnny. However, I’ve also been given plenty of encouragement and flexibility from Mazak to pursue my passion, for which I’m very grateful.”
Her success on the archery range emulates a burgeoning career in manufacturing, which also saw Emelia crowned Advanced Level Apprentice of the Year at the 2024 Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards in December.
Looking to the future, Emelia’s ambitions show no sign of abating, both on and off the range. She is due to complete her apprenticeship in September and move onto a further vocational degree.
She has hopes of continuing to represent Team GB’s senior archery squad, with dreams to make it to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Karen Buckley, outreach and future talent manager at Yamazaki Mazak, said: “Everyone at Mazak is so proud of what Emelia has achieved.
“We very much look forward to watching her continue to succeed, both on the international archery stage and closer to home in her professional qualifications.”
