Thabazimbi archers take aim in heated competitions

Thabazimbi - September was a busy month for archers. All weekends were full of precision and mental preparation. Thabazimbi hosted the KwaZulu-Natal championships on Saturday, 16 September and Sunday, 17 September 2023. Scorching temperatures had the archers all geared up with hats, electrolytes, and umbrellas. It was a successful event with great rewards after 112 arrows on a hot day. Thabazimbi Archery Club wants to thank Jana Viljoen from 5 J’s Co. who sponsored all the winners’ stainless-steel cups.

3-D archery was the next event on 23 and 24 September at Potchefstroom with archers gearing up for the 3-D National event in October. Targets are placed at unmarked distances. The archer must estimate the distance. Beginners may use range finders. No range finders are used in the professional category. Hunters prefer this discipline of archery. Each arrow scores 10 points with two arrows per target. A total round of 28 targets. The 3-D shooting is gaining momentum with the 3-D World Championship to be held in Potchefstroom, South Africa in 2025.

Mopani Archery Club Phalaborwa ended the September shoots with a Field competition on 30 September and 1 October—a two-day course in the heat of Limpopo! Sweltering heat on day one and rushing crosswinds on day two made this a very competitive event. HJ Swanepoel, Mardus Ras, and Jaco van Vuuren represented the Thabazimbi Archery Club.

Thabazimbi Archery Club meets every Tuesday at 17:45 for 18:00 at the Koos Cronje Rifle Range. We are family-friendly. Contact Chris Welgemoed on 082 921 1218 for further details.

Photo: Through the lens: Mardus Ras (Junior Male Bowhunter Unlimited), Jeanmarie Viljoen (Junior Female Bowhunter Unlimited) and Anton Dreyer (Junior Male Bowhunter Unlimited) from the Thabazimbi Archery club.