Rhodes University Archery Club sent a strong team to the 2018 SA National Archery Championships held at Marks Park Sports Club in Johannesburg from 27 April to 1 May 2017. The championships comprised of a 1440 round, a 720 ranking round with eliminations, as well as provincial and mixed team events. The National Championships are the highlight of the archery calendar. At this year’s event archers from all over the country, as well as Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mauritius come together to compete in the various categories.
The Rhodes Archery Club team included Derryn Nel, Ettione Ferreira, Lance Ho, James McAlpine, Matthew Barwick, Yashin Naidoo, Gareth Ross and Trevor Rochat.
On the whole competition was stiff, especially in the compound men and women divisions. Rhodes archers shot good scores in ranking rounds, and kept their focus during individual and team elimination events.
In the team events Lance Ho and Derryn Nel, won silver in the Provincial Compound Mixed Team event, and Lance Ho, James McAlpine and Matthew Barwick won silver in the Provincial Compound Men Team, and was placed second in the Compound Men Club Team events.
In the individual events Yashin Naidoo won two gold medals in the Recurve Junior Men division, while Trevor Rochat won bronze in the Recurve Limited division. Ettione Ferreira was ranked fourth overall in the 1440 Compound Women’s Division. It should be noted that Danelle Wentzel from North Gauteng, who ranked first in the 1440 event, shot a SA and World Record, making Ferreira’s placement outstanding. Gareth Ross shot in his first Nationals and he also did very well, placing fourth overall against strong competitors.
Derryn Nel, Chairperson of the Rhodes Archery Club said, “I am very proud of how our team competed against some of the top archers in the country (and world). Bringing home so many medals is a wonderful achievement and I hope we continue to grow and improve every year going forward.”
Photo: Supplied
