A golden celebration for the 50th Archery National Champs

THIS August 10 and 11, the Zimbabwe Archery Association marked a significant milestone, celebrating its 50th National Outdoor Championships.

Suburban Correspondent

To honour this momentous occasion, the organisers chose a venue as unique as the event itself — Mukuvisi Woodlands, nestled in the heart of Harare.

The stunning natural surroundings, complete with the occasional curious giraffe observing the action, added an absolutely incredible atmosphere to this landmark competition, and occasion.

The two-day event was well attended, featuring 13 archers showcasing their skills in a competition across multiple categories.

Notable in attendance was the current ZAA President Iona Bartosz who competed in the Senior Compound Category, and judged by former ZAA President, and current technical director Victor Bartosz.

Interestingly,  the event was also attended by Antony Blanchard, Zimbabwe Archery Association’s first re-affiliation President.

The tournament was also attended by Nonku Tutani, Vice President of ZAA and Felistas Chikadaya secretary general whose commitment behind the scenes with administration and athletes’ wellbeing she prioritises.

Barry Blanchard the LOC chairman selected a brilliant location and ensured the range was of quality, scenic, and national standard.

Day 1: A classic day of archery featuring a 720 round.

Saturday, August 10, kicked off the competition with a challenging, and surprisingly windy, 720 round, where archers released 72 arrows at varying distances, depending on their category.

The Genesis and Barebow categories saw competitors aiming at targets 15 meters away, while the Compound archers took on the longer distances of 50 meters, with Recurve also extending out to 60 meters. Matthew Gratwicke absolutely dominated the Genesis category, taking home both the Top Genesis title and the Junior Robin Spot award. Grace Makwangudze impressed the supporters and collected the Junior Marion Spot category, while Ruvarashe Tigere, Barebow and Valerie Jijita, Recurve Bow excelled in their categories, taking the top spot in each respectively.

Ian Dalton, with his consistent performance, secured victories in both the Top Compound and collected the Senior Robin Spot.

Day 2: a more forgiving 360 round, followed by some intense battles in the eliminations. While the excitement continued, the windy conditions certainly picked up on Sunday, August 11th, with a shorter but equally exciting 360 round, where archers released 36 arrows before moving on to some very exciting elimination battles.

The eliminations certainly brought out the best in the competitors, as they battled it out for the top spots, and resulted in some surprising position swaps from the day before. In the 15-meter Genesis category, fierce competition led to a thrilling final, with medals awarded as follows:

Gold: Naomi Chitete

Silver: Matthew Gratwicke

Bronze: Nicole Mudzwiti

The Recurve eliminations took place at 50 meters, showcasing some exceptional skill, with the final standings being:

Gold: Thando Chikadaya

Silver: Valerie Jijita

Finally, in the Senior Compound category, the archers demonstrated some remarkable precision and focus, while they battled each other and the elements, with the medals going to:

Gold: Dean Green

Silver: Ian Dalton

Bronze: Barry Blanchard

The Zimbabwe Archery Association’s 50th National Championships will undoubtedly be remembered for its outstanding performances, stunning venue complete with unique spectators, and the camaraderie shared among archers and fans alike.

As the sun set on the Mukuvisi Woodlands, the event closed on a high note, celebrating not just the winners, but the spirit of archery that has endured for half a century of national events in Zimbabwe. Here’s to the next 50 years of excellence, tradition, and the unbreakable bond between archers and their craft.

Looking ahead in the calendar Zimbabwe will be participating in the 2024 South African Indoor / Outdoor Championships, a regional event held remotely in Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

For more information about Zimbabwe Archery Association, visit the official website at zimarchery.com or follow them on social media at facebook.com/zimarchery or instagram.com/zim.archery.