Bullseyes and Bragging Rights!

2 April 2025 · Platinum Bushvelder

THABAZIMBI ARCHERS HIT THE MARK AT NATIONALS!

Thabazimbi – When most were packing for a long weekend of leisure, the Thabazimbi Archery Club packed their bows and arrows — heading straight into three days of fiery competition at the 2025 National Archery Event, held from 21–23 March 2025. And what a weekend it was!

Archers from every corner of the country — from Phalaborwa, Tzaneen, and Letsitele to Bloemfontein, Barberton, Gauteng, and even Cape Town — converged in the blistering Bushveld heat to test their mettle. Over three intense days, competitors walked a gruelling 28-butt course, firing 112 arrows daily across field, hunter, and animal rounds. Every arrow counted, and a single slip could flip the leaderboard. Yet, the Thabazimbi Archery Club held their nerve — and delivered.

Thabazimbi Archery Club results:

Gert Snyman – Three new SA records in VMFS-C (Veteran Male Freestyle – Compound)
Chris Welgemoed – Gold, VMFU (Veteran Male Freestyle Unlimited)
HJ Swanepoel – Gold, AMFU (Adult Male Freestyle Unlimited)
Mathilda Broekhuizen – Gold, Adult Female Bowhunter Unlimited
Mardus Ras – Gold, JMFU (Junior Male Freestyle Unlimited)
Reinhart Labuschagne – Bronze, Junior Male Bowhunter Unlimited
Jaco van Vuuren – Bronze, VMFU (Veteran Male Freestyle Unlimited)

This isn’t just sport — it’s strategy, endurance, and a whole lot of heart. Archers walk, aim, shoot, and repeat under relentless heat — a test of skill, stamina, and mental grit.

The good news? Anyone can join. Practice takes place every Tuesday evening at Thabazimbi Archery Club — 17:30 for 17:45, arrows fly at 18:00 sharp.

Next up: Nationals 2026 in Bloemfontein. The Thabazimbi team is already locked in and ready to rise. Want to be part of the action? Come shoot with the best.

Photo: PERSONAL BEST, NATIONAL BEST! With a stunning personal best of 555/560 on field targets, HJ Swanepoel rocketed to the top of the podium in the Adult Male Freestyle Unlimited class. Rivals Werner Smit (Pretoria) and Axel Zuur (Johannesburg) shared silver in his wake.

PERFECT SCORE, GOLDEN GLORY! Chris Welgemoed hit every single mark — a perfect 560/560 on the animal round — to clinch gold in Veteran Male Freestyle Unlimited. He edged out Niekie Kock from Cape Town and club teammate Jaco van Vuuren in an unforgettable finish.

BRONZE WITH HONOUR! Reinhart Labuschagne gave it his all, landing a well-earned bronze in the Junior Male Bowhunter Unlimited class. A fierce face-off with Tzaneen’s top shots, Henk Meyer (gold) and Christiaan Loots (silver), ended with Reinhart holding his own.

GOLDEN GRIT! In a head-to-head showdown of Junior Male Freestyle Unlimited archers, Mardus Ras (left) outscored rival Marco Janse van Rensburg (right) from Tzaneen. The pair delivered flawless scores on the tricky “bunnies” hunter target — but it was Mardus who edged ahead for gold.

LADIES LEAD THE WAY! Thabazimbi’s own Mathilda Broekhuizen (right) takes a victorious aim, defeating Lucinda Kleynhans (Pretoria) to claim gold in the Adult Female Bowhunter Unlimited category. Five pins, no lenses, no stabilisers — just nerves of steel.

RECORD BREAKER! Gert Snyman (left) lines up on hunter targets alongside teammate Chris Welgemoed (right) on Day 2. Gert didn’t just show up — he shattered three South African records in the Veteran Male Freestyle – Compound category, shooting compound with fingers only — no release. Precision, power, and poise.