Rhodes archers Lance Ho and Simon Naude have been selected for a national squad after competing in the South African Archery National Championships at Marks Park, Johannesburg, earlier this month.
Rhodes archers Lance Ho and Simon Naude have been selected for a national squad after competing in the South African Archery National Championships at Marks Park, Johannesburg, earlier this month.
Together with fellow clubmate Christo Nel they took part in the championship, all three representing both Rhodes and Eastern Province.
In total 139 archers took part in the nationals, with a team from Namibia also taking part. Day 1 brought with it good weather and the standard of the competitors reflected the conditions.
The full Fita (International Archery Federation) round (out of 1 440) resulted in the following positions: Ho (1 313; 22nd) Naude (1 307; 24th) Nel (1 280; 31st). Day 2 had unpredictable gusty conditions.
For the qualification 720 round, Rhodes archers fared well against the opposition with Naude in 16th (655), Ho at 19th (651) and Nel at 30th (614).
Unfortunately, while the whole team made the top 32 cut-off, the 1/16th elimination round saw each member to a quick exit.
The team took bronze in the Club Team Event.
Ho and Naude were chosen for the South African Candidate squad.
The national squad is divided up into two divisions: the Candidate squad and the Gold squad.
Archers are classed in these divisions depending on their average tournament score.
Gold squad members are eligible to attend international events such as the world champs and will have to attend national team selection tournaments (where the actual national team is selected for the year).
Candidate squad members are those within about 5% under the Gold squad scores and are therefore under observation of the national body.
Candidate members have to undergo all administration and drug tests that the Gold squad is exposed to.
The Candidate squad is there to prepare archers for the Gold system once their scores are ready to compete internationally.
The Rhodes Archery Club hosted the nationals in 2011 and 2012, with this year seeing the nationals moving to Johannesburg. The event moves provinces after every two years.
