Young Pinoy shooter hits mark in Hanoi tiff

HANOI, Vietnam – Seeing action for the first time in the annual 30th Southeast Asia Shooting Championship held July 2-9 in Hanoi, Vietnam, 14-year-old Enrique Leandro Enriquez showed nerves of steel against older opponents to bag the bronze medal and did his country proud.

Enriquez, a student from British School Manila, tallied an impressive 112/125 plus 18 in the Olympic men’s skeet event despite the scorching Hanoi heat and humidity.

Enriquez, the youngest competitor, had a good showing throughout the two-day elimination rounds and was the co-leader (along with the Thailand shooter) going into the final round.

But the lack of international exposure caught up with Enriquez in the finals as the Philippine bet bowed to the more experienced Thailand and Vietnam shooters who won the gold and silver, respectively.

He then went on to win another bronze medal along with teammates Clifford Lichaytoo and Andrew Poblete in the skeet team event.

Meanwhile, lady shooter Iryne Garcia, who recently qualified for the 2006 Qatar Asian Games, bagged the silver medal in the ladies individual Olympic trap event with a 57/75+19 in the single barrel final round. The trio of Philippine ladies trap team, Iryne Garcia, Gay Corral and Anna Maria Gana managed to bring home the silver medal in the team event.

Earlier in the week, Carlos Carag also brought home the bronze in the men’s individual Olympic trap event with 104/125+21 effort. He also spearheaded Team Philippines along with Andrew Poblete and Raul Ramon Arambulo beating team Singapore by a mile for the silver at the end of the two-day men’s Olympic trap team event.