SA shooter hits international bullseye
Calista Vermaak makes her mark as the highest ranked female clay target shooter in the country.
The Clay Target Shooting Association of SA (CTSASA) has a rising star with the shooting precision of a sniper, ready to dominate her way to the top.
Calista Vermaak (26) is a talented shooter who began her journey with clay target shooting as an activity she wanted to mark off her bucket list.
Not knowing that she would fall deeply in love with the sport, she became one of the junior South African (SA) clay target shooters to look out for. Calista started shooting in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic with her father, Coen Vermaak Snr, which soon blossomed into her passion.
Speaking to the Roodepoort Northsider, Calista shares that one of the biggest reasons she fell in love with the sport is the opportunity to compete with her brother and father.
“I love giving the men in the sport a run for their money,” she says with a proud smile. This family bonding experience has brought them closer together and created lifelong memories.
Calista’s hard work paid off when she travelled to the USA in 2023 to compete as an individual in the USA Shooting Championships. It was an experience that allowed her to test her skill against the best shooters in the world.
During the competition, Calista achieved a remarkable score in the Hodgon Powder Singles, shooting an impressive 99 out of 100, moving her from B Class to A Class. She also competed in the Sterling Cut Glass Singles category, shooting an astonishing 100 out of 100, pushing her up in the highest ranks among the female shooters.
Her scores did not go unnoticed, as she and her father were granted the honour of being featured in the USA shooting magazine, marketing her 100 straight targets as a milestone in SA. She became the second woman in the country since 2002 to achieve this feat, earning her a mention on the CTSASA One Hundred Club.
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Calista currently holds the highest SA female record in both the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA) Trap and Trap Doubles, setting a high standard in female shooting.
When asked about her plans, Calista says she’s excited to continue competing and pushing herself to new heights. With her family by her side, she’s confident that she will continue to excel in the sport and make her mark.
