Ready, aim, fire

Archery is the art, sport, practice and skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.

And this is what the archers from the Purfecto Archery Club strive to embody.

“The club was established about a year and a half ago,” explained Evlyn Leathley, the admin for the club.

“We hold our practice sessions at Hoërskool Elspark.

“Our members come from a number of schools, including Laerskool Elspark, Hoërskool Elspark, Hoërskool Oosterlig, Hoërskool Dr EG Jansen, Leeuwenhof Akademie, School of Achievement, Laerskool Baanbreker, Alberton High School, Hoërskool Die Anker, Belvedere Special School and Felicitas School for the Physically and Intellectually challenged, as well as local home schools.

“We have 55 school archers and 26 adult archers who form our Adult Archery Group.”

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Leathley describes archery as a social sport that anyone, from nine to 99 years old, can take part in.

“Archery helps with coordination and is a great stress reliever,” she said.

“It is not only a sport for able-bodied people, but for the disabled as well.

“It is a sport where all participants, no matter their fitness level, are on an even playing field, where the only person they are in competition with is themselves.”

Archery competitions are held almost every weekend at different venues and by different schools and clubs throughout Ekurhuleni.

“There are two types of competitions,” explained Leathley.

“We have the Bullseye Competition, where a normal bulls eye target with the yellow, red, blue, black and white scoring areas is used and then we also have the 3D Competition, where animal targets and other life-size sponge targets are shot at.”

Purfecto hosted a competition at Laerskool Elspark last Saturday.

The event started in the morning with the junior division in which archers from Grade Four to matric competed, using a Mathews Genesis bow and National Archery in Schools (NASP) 1 820 tournament-approved Easton aluminium arrows.

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Some of the results were:

Primary School Teams:

• First: Laerskool Elspark A with a score of 3 004

• Second: Laerskool Randfontein with a score of 2 795

• Third: Laerskool Elspark B with a score of 2 733

Primary School Boys:

• First: Joshil Naran with a score of 287

• Second: Anrieg Small with a score of 277

• Third: Eugene Visser with a score of 274

Primary School Girls:

• First: Kayleigh van Helden with a score of 281

• Second: Anrika Small with a score of 278

• Third: Pari Patel with a score of 273

Primary School Overall Winners:

• First: Joshil Naran with a score of 287

• Second: Kayleigh van Helden with a score of 281

• Third: Anrika Small with a score of 278

High School Teams:

• First: Hoërskool Dr Malan with a score of 3 279

• Second: Hoërskool Generaal Hertzog with a score of 3 137

• Third: Hoërskool Oosterlig with a score of 3 094

High School Boys and High School Overall Winners:

• First: Tristen Govender with a score of 292 (24 10s)

• Second: Owen Trachsel with a score of 292 (22 10s)

• Third: Trevan Naido with a score of 291

High School Girls:

• First: Jasmin Simms with a score of 291

• Second: Kristen Becker with a score of 285

• Third: Marche le Roux with a score of 284

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The adult archers then took their turn in front of the targets.

Some of the results were:

Adult Archery Group (AAG) Teams:

• First: Elspark Aagies with a score of 3 282

• Second: Inyathi Steers with a score of 3 149

• Third: Dr Malan with a score of 3 099

AAG Men:

• First: Jurgen Bekker with a score of 292

• Second: Johan du Plessis with a score of 286

• Third: Kean Botha with a score of 281

AAG Women:

• First: Ilani Smith with a score of 288

• Second: Anneke Barnard with a score of 283

• Third: Tanja Bezuidenhout with a score of 277

AAG overall winners:

• First: Jurgens Bekker with a score of 292

• Second: Ilani Smith with a score of 288

• Third: Johan du Plessis with a score of 286

If you would like to give archery a try join Purfecto for their Fun Shoot on October 12 at Hoërskool Elspark or call the club on 079 536 5862.

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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist) kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za

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