Ella Hugo and Matt McDougall, both 19, were selected in the 20-and-under division after a successful trial in Brisbane in January.

To be selected to trial, the archers had to shoot three minimum qualifying scores, and send them through to Archery Australia.

Ella shot a 660 and Matt shot a 670.

Both past winners of the Cessnock Junior Sportsperson of the year award (Matt in 2010 and Ella in 2011), the pair had to overcome obstacles to be selected – Matt only switched back to target archery in November 2014, and Ella changed from shooting left-handed to right-handed less than a year ago.

At the trial camp, the archers had to shoot in an individual ranking round and engage in match play, as well as train with national coaching director, Ya Ping Shih.

This will be Ella’s third World Youth Champions­hips – she competed in Poland in 2011 (where she won a bronze medal) and China in 2013.

It will be Matt’s first time in the Australian team and his first trip overseas.

Both were pleased to have been picked in the team.

“I’m pretty relieved,” Ella said.

“I’m pretty happy; it’s going to be a lot of work from now on but I think I can do it,” Matt said.

Ella and Matt have a busy here of archery coming up in 2015, with the Australian Open in March, the Junior Nationals in April, the Open Indoor Nationals in July, and the Open Nationals in October.

Ella has a 10-year plan with her coach Steve Jennison to become world champion.

Matt, who is self-taught, is planning to move to the USA to take up archery as a professional sport in the next six years.

Ella and Matt are both seeking sponsorship; all sponsorship inquiries can be made to Cessnock Target Archers on 0432 988 017.