Anne Laurila

Name:
Anne Laurila

Age:
40y

Occupation:

Executive Director (M.Sc. Econ.)

Disciplinet (EMG):

Archery (both field archery  and target archery)

What sports have you trained for in the past?

I started archery at the age of 11 in 1993. I have competed internationally since 2000. I won my first medal in 2002 and so far the most recent medals are from 2021. In total, there are 11 medals at the World Championship and European Championship level, the brightest of which are two world championships, one in field archery and the other in 3D archery. In flat shooting, my best achievement is european championship silver. Internationally, I have always competed with a compound bow.

Previously, there were more opportunities to invest in sports, nowadays you have to go strongly on the terms of work, that is, work, so to speak, hinders the hobby. Because of my age, it would still be possible to invest in a top-level sports career, but you can’t make a living from it. This is my first time at the Masters, but I’m not moving away from the open class either.

What has made you exercise even today? Describe your values, your own view on why every adult should exercise?

Archery has become a way of life for me. The corona year 2020, when the international competitions were cancelled, was the first and so far the only year for me since 2000 without international competitions, and the lack of a goal was immediately noticeable in the training motivation. On the other hand, back then it was fun to have fun with an barebow that was stranger to me, when I didn’t have to think about preparing for the international championships. Sport provides meaningful content for life and an excellent counterbalance to work. On the plus side, exercise keeps the body in better shape.

Motto:

When I have the motivation and the will, I can do anything.

How would you like to encourage other people your age to bravely come to exercise?

It’s never too late to start and find your own thing.

Your best sports memory?

Winning the first world title is hardly ever forgotten. I secured the world championship gold in field archery with an arrow that left a couple of seconds before the time ran out. This happened in Hungary in 2010 and marked the realization of a goal that I had set for myself 8 years earlier when I stood with a World Championship bronze neck in Australia on the podium: Some day I will be looking at the Finnish flag in that middle.

What do you expect from EMG2023 competitions?

I look forward to a great event and nice encounters with international archery friends. Of course, I am competitive enough to also go looking for excellent sports performances and a position that is as high as possible in the list of results. However, this race is not my main goal for the season, but since the race is held in Finland and I have enough age for this event, so to speak, I naturally wanted to join in sniffing the EMG atmosphere.