Being competitive in archery requires dedication, consistency and the ability to perform under pressure.

19-year-old Rynhardt van der Merwe of TuksArchery ticks all three boxes. He has proven this with his participation in European tournaments. He won silver medals in the under-21 division of the Central European Cup Tournament and the European Youth Cup (Leg 2). His scores of 702 out of 720 and 148 out of 150 at the Youth Cup are probably African under-21 records. It still needs to be confirmed.

His performance during the World Cup event in Antalya, Turkey, is more remarkable. Van der Merwe competed against the best of the best and finished in joint ninth place.

France's Nicolas Girard, ranked third in the world for compound archers, emerged victorious in the competition. The Netherlands' Mike Schloesser (second in the world rankings) was joint fifth. India's Rishabh Yadav, currently ranked fourth in the world, and the USA's James Lutz, currently ranked fifth, also participated. Joining Van der Merwe in ninth place was Nico Wiener. The Austrian is ranked sixth in the rankings.

Van der Merwe first took aim at a target with a bow and arrow when he was seven years old. At the age of eight, he began participating in competitions. It didn't take him long to start winning. To date, he has won more than 15 national titles in various competitions.

He played cricket and rugby, as most young boys do. He even wrestled, but that passion to be the best was missing.

"I don't like contact sports. I don't see the point of running into people. It's essential for my father that each of his children play a sport. The elementary school I went to offered archery. I tried it out. Before long, I was hooked and started training intensely. The rest, as they say, is history."

The precision required in archery is what attracted the Tuks archer to the sport.

"I'm a perfectionist. With archery, your equipment and technique have to be perfect. I love striving for perfection. I fully realise that total perfection is unattainable, but that doesn't stop someone from trying. I enjoy playing with the equipment in an attempt to get the best results from the bow and myself."

What does it take to be competitive when you're competing?

"At a World Championship, it's usually the guy with the coolest head who does the best. When you shoot a bad arrow, don't dwell on it. I always immediately ask myself what I can do to improve with my next shot. It does not help to focus on the negative of what has happened. When taking aim, you have to switch off from everything that's going on around you. Archery requires absolute focus. Granted, it can be difficult at times."

Before a big competition, Van der Merwe easily shoots for two hours a day for five days.

"I always say that if you really want to do well in a competition where you have to shoot 72 arrows, then you have to be able to shoot 100 arrows comfortably during practice. Physical fitness in archery is important. It requires strong back, arms, and abdominal muscles. In summary, maintaining a strong core is essential, as stability is crucial during the act of shooting. With every arrow you shoot, you are pulling back 26 kilograms as you draw the bow."