REIGNING local Individual Champion Ransford Goodluck teamed up with junior Sherwin Felicien to cart off the first-ever Guyana National Rifle Association (GuyanaNRA) Fullbore Pairs competition held in observance of the nation’s Jubilee celebrations.Goodluck took to the task very well as the margin that separated the winners from their rivals was very slim.
This inaugural format which is normally shot at the Commonwealth Games saw Guyana, represented by the pair of National captain Mahendra Persaud and reigning Caribbean Individual champion Lennox Braithwaite placing 6th at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
Shooting at the 300-, 500- and 600-yard ranges, senior (A-Class) shooters were paired with their junior (X-Class) counterparts and at the end of the 300 yards range, the pair of Braithwaite and Ryan Sampson held a one-point lead over Goodluck and Felicien.
But Goodluck who shot the only possible on the day at the 500-yard range and Felicien who dropped just one point at the same range erased the one-point deficit to pull ahead of their competition and eventually win the historic shoot.
The challenge of the wind, which was mostly blowing right to left and changing fast, kept the coaches alert throughout the shoot.
Third-place finishers were Leo Ramalho and Terrence Stuart followed by Braithwaite and Sampson.
The event, which was held at the Timehri Rifle Ranges, last Sunday, saw the bulk of competitors among those in preparation for next month’s West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council (WIFBSC) Short Range championships in Antigua.
GuyanaNRA vice-president Paul Slowe, who was on hand, performed duties of presenting the trophies and medals to the winning pair and other top performers. He encouraged the shooters to keep the competitive spirit going as they continue to focus on next month’s Caribbean championships.
Team captain Mahendra Persaud informed that preparation over the next two weekends would be focused on Team shoots as they seek to retain the West Indies Short Range Trophy. Persaud also promised that more Pair Shoots would be held in the future.
Meanwhile, the team continue their quest for sponsorship towards the Antigua trip.