Just found this on, of all things, the National Electronic Library for Health.
Financial Times. London (UK): Jan 28, 2005. pg. 24
"The venerable pursuit of archery is becoming a model sport. First, Sport England disclosed that in the weeks after the Olympics, archery showed a bigger increase in participation than any other sport, although a Lord of the Rings factor was suspected.
The National Audit Office has now worked out that archery was the UK's most cost-effective sport in Athens. The bronze won by Alison Williamson cost UK Sport, which distributes National Lottery funding to elite athletes, just Pounds 300,000 compared with an average cost per medal of Pounds 2.4m and a price tag of Pounds 3.3m each for two swimming bronzes."
Since when were we "venerable"? The word seems to suggest that we are on our last legs!
