Samford wins gold - and next year's titles

Published 12:00pm 15 October 2022

Words by Nick Crockford

Samford archers were among the medals – including gold - at Archery Australia’s National Target Championships.

Hosted by Samford Valley Target Archery, 244 archers from across Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand, Singapore and Fiji shot more than 80,000 arrows.

And such was the success of the tournament, Samford Valley has already been approved to host the National Target Championships in 2023.

This year's competition, from September 28 to October 3, had 240 championship medals on offer over two rounds and a match-play series in divisions based on age and bow type.

The volunteers who helped make the championships such a success.

Most notable Samford winners were Angela Murphy (twice), Emma Crouch (twice), Scott Brice (twice), Matthew Nimmo (twice), Judith Symes (twice), and Matthew Clark.

Brice, Elizabeth Randle, Amanda Ament, and Nimmo also won medals as members of match-play teams.

Ament, though winning five medals of all colours, said she was most proud of her gold with the South Queensland barebow/longbow team.

Mayor Peter Flannery who officially opened the championships

Brice topped it off with his award for the (National) Best All-Round Archer award in the 50 plus Male Compound archer Division, for which he received a new set of arrows.

Channel 7+ live-streamed the medal matches on the last day of competition (October 3) - the first time an Australian Archery tournament has been televised.

The tournament was officially opened by Mayor Peter Flannery and supporters by volunteers came from Samford and other South Queensland Archery Society clubs.