PNSA holds year-long elims for RP shooting team to 2005 SEAG

The Philippine National Shooting Association (PNSA) has scheduled qualifying competitions lasting one whole year to form a team capable of winning gold medals in next year’s 23rd Southeast Asian Games here.

According to PNSA president Arturo Macapagal, the selection process will consist of three phases—the first to be conducted monthly from July 2004 to June 2005, the second a one-time final elimination to determine the composition of the RP team and the third is team training will full support starting August 2005.

All PNSA members in good standing are eligible to compete but they must participate in at least six qualifying matches from July 2004 to June 2005 and meet set qualifying criteria scores to join the final eliminations.

The score criteria are:

Trap (men) 116, skeet (m) 116, trap (w) 59, double trap 125, air rifle (m) 594, air rifle (w) 398, FR prone (m) 592, FR prone (w) 589, FR 3 position (m) 1152, sport rifle (w) 572, air pistol (m) 579, air pistol (w) 383, free pistol 556, rapid fire (m) 576, standard pistol (m) 571, sport pistol (w) 577 and center fire (m) 584.

Macapagal has also endorsed to the Philippine Sports Commission six shooters–all medalists in last year’s 22nd SEA Games in Vietnam–as official members of the national team.

These are Eric Ang, Jethro Dionisio and Jaime Recio, all in trap event for men; Josefinal Gay Corral (trap event, women), Nathaniel "Tac" Padilla (rapid fire event) and Brian Paul Rosario (skeet event, men).

Macapagal predicts the rapid growth and development of air-gun shooting with the recent renovation of the Amoranto air-gun range through the support of Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte.

National coach Orlando Marquez has been tapped to handle the recruitment and training program of young air-gun buffs.

Macapagal said PNSA will not only try to "put together a well-motivated, disciplined and determined national team" but also "move to achieve a high level of efficiency in running the (23rd SEAG) shooting competitions."