SPORT NEWS - Cor Swanepoel, an ace Protea target shooter from George, is the proud winner of an international silver medal that he brought home from the World Field Target (FT) Championship in Mesa, Arizona this month.
Swanepoel (61), who returned from the FT world championship in the USA this week, came second among the veterans, but also showed most of the younger shooters how to take aim by achieving a fabulous 11th place overall against the 140 top FT marksmen in the world.
He is elated with his performance and not only thankful for his steady aim, but also for staying calm. "It's difficult to relax and during the three-day competition you struggle to sleep at night, but I managed to calm my nerves.
"With target shooting you need to get your head right, otherwise your body - and then your aim - will betray you."
Swanepoel shows off the silver medal he won on 18 November at the World Field Target Championship in the USA.
Field target marksmen use a variety of state-of-the-art airguns and telescopes to shoot at tiny targets that come in all shapes and sizes - even Mickey Mouse.
The targets are placed at varying distances, between 9 and 50 metres, and the shooter must hit the centre of a target in the hit zone - formerly known as the 'kill zone' - varying in size from just 15mm to 40mm, to knock the target down and score points.
The marksmen shoot from different positions - standing, kneeling, and sitting.
USA and Aussies must thank SA
The South Africans came fourth overall with a total three-day score of 396, just one point behind Wales.
England was tops with 403 and the hosts, USA, in second place with 398 points.
Apart from the six Proteas, South Africa had a strong international presence at the championships with two ex-South Africans shooting for the USA team and three ex-South Africans shooting for Australia.
Gerhard Genade came third overall at the World Field Target Championship in the USA. A magnificent achievement!
Swanepoel is one of two Western Cape residents in the six-man Protea team, with the 2023 FT world champion, Gerhard Genade from Paarl, this year attaining an impressive overall third spot.
The South African 2024 Protea team, Jan Steytler, Gerhard Genade, Wian Strydom, Cor Swanepoel, Derek van Niekerk and Adrian Hollis, stand proudly at the WFTC in Arizona.
The other Proteas hail from Gauteng and are Adrian Hollis (13th), Derek van Niekerk (20th), Jan Steytler (23rd) and Wian Strydom (33rd).
Swanepoel became a Field Target Master in 2023 during the world championships hosted by South Africa.
Next year the World Field Target Championship will take place in Ireland.
Ouch! A shooter dislodging a pesky Southern sandbur from a fellow marksman’s hand. It is a weed with sharp spines - a nuisance in Arizona.
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