Tac vows to shoot down SEAG gold

Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla is optimistic  he will finally win the gold that eluded him the last 14 years when  he competes in the shooting competitions of the  24th Southeast Asian Games  in Nakhon Ratchasima on Dec. 6.

Not even a problem with his trusted rifle could crack the confidence of the multi-titled marksman.

“I expect to do good since I’ve had a good preparation, I’m shooting well in practice,” said Padilla, the most durable Filipino athlete, competing in his 15th SEA Games in the Bangkok shootfest set Nov. 27-Dec. 3.

Shooting competition ushers in the 24th SEA Games, staking three gold medals on opening day tomorrow at Thailand Shooting and Clay Target Ranges in Bangkok.

Padilla has been shooting around 570 in practice in his pet event rapid fire, better than the gold-medal-winning score of 564 by Malaysia’s Hasli Izwan Hasan in Manila in 2005. The Filipino bet settled for silver then with 561.

“I had no time to compete abroad but I do believe I have made enough preparation to do good in Bangkok,” said Padilla, who runs the family business in Malabon and also serves as president of the National Basketball Conference where he has a regular team.

Tac, who’s been present in all SEA Games since 1977 except in 2001 when Brunei cancelled the shooting event, is likely to use his old Walter long rifle with his Pardini Italian encountering trouble with the firing pin.

“Yun lang ang problema ni Tac, nagkaproblema yung baril niya. Pero maganda talaga ang mga scores niya ngayon,” said coach Bert Teyab.

“Shooting is mental game. Tac’s outlook is positive going to the games,” said Donald Padilla, Tac’s older brother who is the secretary-general of the Philippine Shooting Association.

Aside from rapid fire, Padilla, now 43 and father of two girls, is also entered in standard pistol and center fire.

He vies for the gold in standard pistol on Thursday, rapid fire Friday and in center fire Saturday.

Notwithstanding the continued arrival of new talents from rival countries, Padilla is optimistic he can hold his own and get a crack at a fifth gold following his victories in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1993.

He expects tough challenges from the Vietnamese, Malaysians and the Thais.

“Ang dami ng mga batang shooters. The Thais and the Vietnamese are exposed to international competitions. The Vietnamese even trained in Russia. The Malaysians, on the other hand, are being trained by a German coach,” said Padilla.