In November 2010 I picked up a compound bow and took my first shot. After an accident in 2004 I lost the use of my left arm. From an early age I have been an athletic person and always took part in sports. Now I had nothing and could not do what I used to. My will to compete has been driving me crazy since I crossed paths with archery. As a very competitive person it could only go one way -   I quit my day job to pursue my archery dream!

Very soon I was on the line and competing fearlessly. I was so persistent that the South African National Archery Association (SANAA) decided to create the South African National Para Archery Committee in 2012 and voted me in as chairperson to develop and promote the sport in South Africa.

We currently have numerous school projects and we coach individual archers. I am proud to say that next to me on the line at the 63^rd SA National Championship we had five new disabled archers and all of them brought medals home!

Until recently I struggled with a permanent base to train and work from. I have a tremendous amount of gratitude to Kobus Van Der Walt and Ilze Wicksell from TuksSport, who solved that problem for me. For the first time I was able to train consistently and stick to a training schedule in conjunction with my coach and manager. My goal to win and become the National Champion, as well as receiving my national colours in Field Archery, was now reachable. In this process I was earmarked as a candidate for the 2016 Rio Paralympics, and I am grateful to Steven Ball for all his support.

I spent hundreds of hours on the range and before I knew it, it was time to compete. The Nationals was a great ending to the Field Archery year for me. I ended up as the National Champion, received my national colours and was chosen as the archer to represent South Africa at the Para World Championships in Bangkok this year. My two children and all of us, including the disabled archers, are members of TuksArchery. We plan to work and train even harder in future and keep Tuks proud.

TuksSport has addressed another dream of ours which involves a permanent archery field allocated exclusively to the sport. On 11 April the first part of the embankment was laid. With all the new developments, I thank TuksSport for the support and faith that they have in us. We plan to improve and grow even further.