He has a record in competition few can match.

In nine years of competitive archery, he is undefeated in state, national and international events.

“He has lost at a club level when he’s mucking around and just having a good time, but as far as going to a state competition, Australian competition or a world championship, he has won every trophy since the age of eight,” coach, and father, Trevor Aldred says.

After claiming several NSW and Victorian junior state titles at primary school, Ethan first burst onto the national scene in 2004 when he won two gold medals at the Australian titles.

Two more Australian titles followed in 2005 before the Twin City Bowmen member decided to take on the world at the 2006 World Field Archery Championships at Hervey Bay.

It was there he became a junior category world champion for the first time at just 13 years of age.

More national gold and an International Field Archery Association Pacific gold — during which he broke a 14-year Pacific record that still stands — followed in 2007 before Ethan took his game to a new level in 2008.

He was selected in the Australian under-17 team that travelled to Namibia in Africa for the World Field Archery Championships.

“It was really tough, and a real eye-opener both as an archer and as far as seeing how other people live,” Ethan remembers.

“We had to cram into the back of a truck to get to the field and start practising around seven every morning.

“It was tough but it was a great experience.”

And an experience which Ethan, in typical fashion, took in his stride, claiming gold and returning as an IFAA junior world champion.

Ethan’s ability to adapt to the demanding conditions at Namibia mirrors the composure he shows when shooting.

He says this composure, more than the ability to shoot straight, is the most important aspect to his game.

“What makes a good archer? I think it’s just about being persistent and not getting frustrated,” he says.

“If you can just accept you’ve had a bad day, that makes a good archer. If you get worried about it and stress over a couple of bad shots, you’re going to fail, it’s as simple as that really.”

Ethan has a busy 2010 in front of him starting with the Australian titles in May, followed by the World Field Archery Titles in Germany in July.