Archery drawing more fans at SPU
THE SPORT of archery is slowly but surely gaining traction at Sol Plaatje University.
Earlier in the week, students started with their first introduction to archery classes at the university sport grounds. More than 80 students responded to the invitation to join, and a total of 52 students asked to shoot.
Then on Monday, 25 students lined up and were introduced to the sport. They picked up a bow and arrow for the first time, aimed and shot, keen to hit the bull’s eye.
The next day, on Tuesday, 30 more students arrived for their introduction and got accustomed to the feeling of holding a bow. It was not long before most of the students got the hang of it, and arrows started flying true, hitting their mark.
Tshepo Edison Masoeu, Head of Sports at Sol Plaatje University, said that he welcomed archery as a new sport at the university, and looking at the overwhelming interest of students, the prospect of starting archery as a new sports code at the university looks increasingly promising.
“Introducing a new sports code at the university presents all students with the opportunity to participate in archery as a sport on campus at a relatively low or no cost to them. The sport of archery pioneers equality in sport on a global scale and offers anyone determined to excel and achieve the opportunity to compete even at the international and Olympic levels,” he said.
Masoeu further said that under the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture’s guidance in this regard, the health and growth of archery and the benefits thereof, as well as those of other sports codes, rely on a healthy local, provincial, and national club structure and regular, healthy interclub interaction in the form of competitions.
Dawid de Greeff, AGA-NC Administrative Officer, said that it is exciting to see new clubs emerge in the Northern Cape Archery Season.
“We want to invite all Northern Cape schools, those looking for an alternative to mainstream sports, or those who are physically challenged to consider embracing archery as a sport, De Greeff said. “Archery Northern Cape also calls on businesses and financial partners to help us establish and grow the sport throughout the Northern Cape Province,” he added.
Meanwhile, 29 archers from Africa Genesis Archery—northern
Cape (AGA—NC) recently participated in an inter-schools competition against the Free State at Curro Bloemfontein, The competition took place last Saturday.
Despite a very windy day, which affected both the Free State and Northern Cape archers, the Northern Cape did very well and won seven medals, and many NC archers also ended up among the top-ranked archers in their respective categories.
In the Adult Archery Generation (AAG) Category, the NC took the top three overall positions. Annemarie de Greeff took gold with 271/300, Dawid de Greeff took silver with 269/300, and Philip Kotze took bronze with 268/300.
In the overall primary category, the Northern Cape Archers won four medals. Grade 4: Hennie Victor got gold (264/300) and Dylan O'connell got silver (259/300).
By the looks of things, archery is quickly becoming a sport that we will be seeing a lot more of, and who knows, we might see a new modern age Robin Hood emerge from the Sol Plaatje University.
Grade 5: Ibees E]oq]e >lihu] ҥ Ԑ Grade 6: Aaliyah Paulsen, Bronze ҥ Ԑ ҦҶ
Top NC Rankings achieved
AAG Category
Adult Women: 1st Annemarie de Greeff, and 2nd Odette Victor
Adult Men: 1st Dawid de Greeff, and 2nd Philip Kotze
High Schools
Grade 8 Girls: 1st Tru Shaw, 2nd Fathima Mustapha, and 3rd Naadirah Cader
Grade 9 Girls: 3rd Leandra von Wielligh Grade 10 Girls: 2nd Chloe Obaray Grade 11 Boys: 1st Terence van Eck Primary Schools:
Grade 4 Girls: 1st Nusrah Beckmann Grade 4 Boys: 1st Hennie Victor, 2nd @sexh Lӑ?ihh]eeҹ Xh\ l\ =gxxh HAXHҶ Grade 5 Girls: 1st Lilly Heuwel
Grade 6 Girls: 3rd Aaliyah Paulsen Grade 7 Girls: 1st Elrize De Greeff