Archers go head to head at Marks Park
Top archers slog it out in 2023 Head to Head Champs at Marks Park Archery.
The new year got off to a competitive start at Marks Park Archery Club when it hosted the 2023 Head-to-Head Challenge recently.
The challenge, which spanned two days, was one of the first tournaments of the year. The ranking and elimination round on the last day and double 720 the day before were a stern test of competitors’ fitness and focus after the holiday break.
The only consolation to the day’s sweltering heat was the absence of any wind to complicate matters further. Regular water breaks, gazebos for shade, and sustenance from the food truck meant competitors and supporters had an enjoyable weekend on the range.
The field contained a number of South Africa team members who had excelled in the 12th Africa Archery Championships in December last year. Notable participants included compound (bow that uses a levering system) women gold medalist Jeanine van Kradenburg, compound men team gold medalist Beyers de Klerk, compound men’s team gold and individual silver medalist Richard Anderson as well as compound men open gold medalist and Paralympian, Philip Coates-Palgrave.
They were joined by other team SA members including Catharina Whitehead, Olivia Lubbe, and Geoff Blake.
The 40-strong competition line-up on each day was dominated by compound archers who made up nearly 75% of the field. As expected, competition for top honours was hard-fought, with De Klerk losing by a single point to Seppie Cilliers.
De Klerk had progressed to the finals after a count-off for most 10s after finishing tie on 142 in his semi-final against Hendre Verhoef. Cilliers’ pedigree shone through in the final, showing this multiple medallist and world and national record holder is ready for 2023.
The recurve competition had a good mix of youth and experience across all categories, with Shaun Dowling, of Archers of Zoo-Lake celebrating his first competition by claiming gold. Middelburg’s Mohammed Ebrahim stepped up to the 70m line, in competition for the first time, while Marks Park’s Mike van Staden scored a personal best on day one in only his second competition at 70m.
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