Tac dominates event despite gun malfunction

MANILA, Philippines - Perennial pistol champion Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla overcame his gun’s malfunction to escape the upset axe at the start of the 2009 National Open shooting championships last weekend at the PSC range in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

Padilla, 45-year-old general manager of the family-owned Spring Cooking Oil, was dominating his rivals in the rapid fire event when his gun malfunctioned going into the last series (four seconds). He was penalized but still finished on top at 561, one point ahead of Robert Donalvo and 14 away from Ronald Hejastro.

“It was the closest margin I ever had so far in winning the event,” said Padilla, who will compete for a record 16th time in the Southeast Asian Games in Laos late this year.

Veteran campaigners Emerito Concepcion and Carolino Gonzales also triumphed in the two-weekend competition organized by the Philippine National Shooting Association headed by Arturo Macapagal.

Concepcion tallied 584 points to whip Jayson Valdez (576) and Santino Hermoso (573) in men’s air rifle while Gonzales posted 539 to rip Ronald Hejastro (507) and Romulo Tilos (499) in the free pistol event.

The other winners were Edwin Fernandez (590) in the 50-meter men’s rifle prone, Irish Palma (372) in women’s air rifle and Frances Nicole Medina (569) in women’s short rifle prone.