Actualités

Rick van der Ven to return to Dutch squad in 2022

30 mars 2022

Papendal, Netherlands

Vrai nom:

Mike Schloesser, Steve Wijler and Gaby Schloesser are just some of the big names confirmed in the Dutch squad for the early part of the upcoming international season. Rick van der Ven, a staple on the team until just before the Olympics last year, is also set to make his return.

Those picked for the recurve teams are set to wear the famous orange shirts at the first two stages of the Hyundai Archery World Cup, in Antalya (Turkey) in April and Gwangju (Korea) in May, and the European Championships in Munich (Germany).

Selections took place this month at the Olympic Training Centre in Papendal, home to the Netherlands Olympic Committee. The first event was open, then the top eight qualifiers moved through to two further tournaments: a round-robin matchplay event and a standard 72-arrow qualifying and bracket event.

The compound squads were named for the season opener in Antalya – with a few archers also attending Gwangju – at which the team for the Europeans will be chosen.

World number one and three-time Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion Mike Schloesser will be joined in Turkey by Jay Tjin-a-Djie, Sil Pater and Stef Willems in the compound men’s line-up, while world number 12 Sanne de Laat is accompanied by 2013 world championship silver medallist Martine Stas-Couwenberg and Laura Schuit in the compound women’s team.

Jody Beckers (née Vermuelen) also ranked well in the trials but has not been named to any event.

Tokyo 2020 mixed team silver medallist Steve Wijler finished top on all three days of the recurve trials and, along with Gijs Broeksma and Rick van der Ven, secured his place in the team for all three events.

Jonah Wilthagen qualified as the fourth archer for Antalya, with Willem Bakker in reserve. Wilthagen is reserve for both Gwangju and Munich.

Gaby Schloesser at the Dutch 2022 Trials

Gaby Schloesser, who won that pairs silver at Tokyo 2020 with Wijler, was the sole female archer to qualify directly and as the remaining places were determined by the technical staff, led by long-time head coach Ron van der Hoff.

“I am happy to be back in the team,” said Gaby. “Last year was a very good year and now I can enjoy the competitions more [as] I know that I can win medals. This brings confidence when I am shooting at home or at competitions. I am also working on my technique and so far it has brought good results.”

With her performance in 2021 and current national ranking in 2022, Laura van der Winkel, who missed some of the trials due to COVID-19, was the second archer named. Second-placed qualifier, 16-year-old Quinty Roeffen, completed the trio for all the events, with Mary-Ann Tempelman in reserve.

Significantly, these trails were the first in the Netherlands without Sjef Van Den Berg, who retired as a competitor last July and who the Dutch head coach described as “one of the top archers of the Netherlands, of the world”.

“We lost a very competitive archer, but it was a choice he made We always had Sjef in the team, now this brings us new opportunities,” continued Ron. “Before it was Sjef and Steve at the top. Now, looking at the results of these trials, Steve is at the top and this will represent a new dynamic for him. Gijs is developing well, Rick is shooting steadily and we have young juniors with potential.”

The international season begins on 18-24 April with the first stage of the 2022 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Antalya, Turkey.