By Emmerson Campbell
Guyana’s marksmen will look to hit the bull’s eye and shoot their way to top honours when the annual West Indies Fullbore Shooting Championship gets underway at the Timehri Rifle Ranges from October 7.
The local shooters enter the competition as favourites to secure the team and individual championships against rivals Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda and Jamaica.
Guyana has won the team competition for six consecutive years and will be looking to continue in the same rich vein this year.
The locals secured the individual competition for four years in succession up until last year where they lost to Jamaica by two points. They are confident of regaining that title at home.
During a press briefing yesterday which was held at the Guyana Olympic Association, (GOA) the top brass of the Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) disclosed their plans for securing the top spots as well as hosting the event which was budgeted at five million dollars.
According to GNRA’s Secretary, Ryan Sampson, preparation of the ranges has been ongoing for quite some time with the aid of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). New rifle huts have been assembled and also target mechanisms have been put into place.
The team’s captain Mahendra Persaud intimated that he was concerned about his charges’ preparation however last week’s practice session has made him more confident.
“I was kind of concerned about our team preparation but since our last practice session over the weekend I was able to sleep a bit more comfortable.
Our team has been shooting together for a number of years so there are no new faces.”
Persaud added “We are dependent on our US-based players, John Fraser and Sigmond Douglas and Canadian-based Paul Archer who will be arriving on the weekend of the 5 – 7 as will the other teams”.
The team will be selected from a group of about 10 players according to Persaud but he said he would rather have around 13 players to choose from.
Treasurer of the GNRA, Lt. Col Terrence Stuart, revealed that the association has not accumulated its intended budget but he is optimistic. Stuart further stated that the GNRA is not an association that would attract a crowd to charge an entrance fee therefore the association depends heavily on donations and partnership.
He extended his gratitude on behalf of the association to the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Bank of Guyana, Banks DIH and a few others that have already lent a helping hand to the hosting of the event.
Action will get underway from October 9 with the eight-man Team Championships over the 300, 500, 600, 900 and 1000 yards ranges and will run until October 11.
From October 12, the Individual Competition for the Milex Cup will commence and the participants will be shooting over the 900 and 1000 yards ranges.
The championships will conclude with the premier category which is the Short Range shooting which is shot over the 300, 500 and 6000 yards ranges.
