Archery: Montpellier Marie-Aude Bouteix at the French championships for fun and to measure herself against the best

Marie-Aude Bouteix en plein concentration. MAB – MAB

Portrait de l’archère du Montpellier Arc Club qui a découvert le tir à l’arc tardivement et qui fait partie des meilleurs françaises de sa catégorie. 

Marie-Aude Bouteix (43 years old) is proof that you can start a sport late and reach the high level. A sportswoman since her early childhood, the Hérault resident crossed the path of archery nine years ago to join her son Raphaël who then practiced the discipline.

In recent seasons, the talented archer from Montpellier Arc Club (MAC) has twice become vice-champion of France in senior 2 ladies (40-60 year old category). She is also an emeritus member of the MAC team competing in the French Division 2 championship.

Marie-Aude Bouteix owes these recently discovered facilities for archery to her body's ability to move and adapt to any discipline: "J’ I started sports very early, dancing at the age of 2. When you have the perception of your body, it is easier to adapt to the orders given to it. Archery is a choreography, a repetition."

Marie-Aude Bouteix: "I never stress"

Practice requires rigor, concentration and mastery. In this game, Héraultaise is very strong: "We are fighting against ourselves, we are our worst adversary. Archery is the repetition of a gesture to achieve the search for the right sensation and a result. My bow is an extension of my hand. My shooting cycle is like a melody, a poetry, a routine of sensations. My luck is that I never stress thanks to my job as a hairdresser in a hospital environment. Archery is a hobby that allows me to escape."

This weekend, Marie-Aude Bouteix arrived in Vendée to participate in the French championships in her category in Mouilleron-le-Captif. With the ambition of… "having fun, that’s the main thing! And measure myself against the best in France. My goal is personal, passing the 600 point mark is an important step for an archer. But I don’t shoot archery to participate in the French championships. I shoot archery for fun."