Guyana aiming to retain Short Range and Individual trophies

THE defending champions of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council (WIFBSC) Short Range championship, Guyana, are confident of successfully retaining the trophy when the 2016 edition shoots off at the Crabbs Rifle Range in Antigua and Barbuda, today.Defending Individual champion Lennox Braithwaite is also confident of making it four in a row when proceedings get underway with the Individuals over the next three days.
No championships were held last year since the WIFBSC sent a team to the World Championships in Ohio, Texas USA. For the first time in its history the West Indies did not place last as they finished ahead of Germany. Half of the 16-member team was made up of Guyanese.
Braithwaite and USA-based John Fraser arrived in Antigua on Sunday while the remainder of the team, Mahendra Persaud (captain & Wind coach), Dylan Fields (vice-captain), Ransford Goodluck (Wind coach), Leo Romalho, Peter Persaud, Ryan Sampson, Sherwin Felicien, Terrence Stuart and Head Wind coach Paul Slowe, arrived yesterday.
Team Guyana practised yesterday in order to get their zeros and a feel of the range ahead of today’s competition.
Captain Persaud said that while they were a bit tired, they are focused on the task at hand and that is to successfully defend the Individual title as well as the Short Range championship. The Long Range title which Guyana also hold will not be contested since Antigua does not have such a facility.
President of the Antigua and Barbuda Shooting Club which is an affiliate of the WIFBSC, Thomas Greenaway, said that all systems are in place for the successful hosting of the 2016 championships noting that a lot of work has gone into making it become reality.
Competition will be held at the 300, 500 and 600 yards ranges following the opening ceremony at 09:00hrs today. The Individual competition, which would see shooters from the host nation, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Canada compete, will last until tomorrow.
Team matches will commence on Friday with the nations competing in the Wadadli Cup, a 4-member per team competition. On Saturday, the 8-member team Anchor Cup match will be contested.