THE Guyanese members of the West Indies Fullbore team will resume training this weekend after being hit with a delay in the clearance of ammunition. Chronicle Sport understands that the ammunition was in Guyana for a while before the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) finally cleared the key components needed for Guyana’s marksmen to return to training.
During a recent interview, captain of the National rifle team and the West Indies team vice-captain Mahendra Persaud noted that the team’s last session, just over two months ago yielded positive results and he is hoping for such when they return to the ranges.
The veteran rifleman, commenting on the composition of the team and the quality of shooters, told Chronicle Sport that it is the best that the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council (WIFSC) can put forth.
Speaking more closely to home, Persaud said that he is confident of the Guyanese riflemen progressing well on the international platform.
“We (are) confident of holding our own especially the Guyanese and we will do our part in the team end of things.”
The team comprises eight Guyanese including Persaud, as well as reigning regional individual champion Lennox Braithwaite, Ransford Goodluck, Dylan Fields, Leo Romalho, Ryan Sampson, Sigmund Douglas and John Fraser.
Douglas and Fraser are based in the United States. Experienced marksman Jamaican John Nelson is the non-shooting captain while Guyana’s ACP (retired) Paul Slowe is the Main Wind coach.
The other officials travelling with the team are: Adjutant David Dumont of Bermuda and Dennis Lee of Jamaica, the assistant Wind coach.
The remaining shooters named are from Trinidad and Tobago – Norris Gomez, Michael Perez, and Ezekiel Joseph, (Antigua/Barbuda) – Anderson Perry, Thomas Greenaway, (Barbados) Marlon King and Shelly-Ann Hinds and (Jamaica) Dwayne Forde. The team was selected by the WIFSC last year following the regional championships in Jamaica last year.
Fifteen other Caribbean shooters, along with some of the above-mentioned, are expected to make the trip for the individual aspect of the shoot.
The World Long Range Championships, commonly called The PALMA Match, will take place at Camp Perry from August 1 to 14 in Ohio and will be shot over 800, 900 and 1 000 yards.
Shooters from hosts United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya and Continental Europe are expected to compete.

By Stephan Sookram