Tac shoots down 2 more golds in Phl Open

MANILA, Philippines - Reigning pistol champion Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla bagged two more gold medals and youthful Jayson Valdez completed his domination of the 50-meter 3-position rifle event Sunday at the end of the 2010 National Open shooting championships at the PNSA/Marines range in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

Padilla, general manager of their family-owned Spring Cooking Oil and national rapid fire titlist for 31 years, ruled the 25-meter center fire competition and the 10-meter air pistol event.

Tac carded 562 points to whip brother Donald Padilla (545) and Inocentes Dionesa (544) in center fire, and then posted 558 to nip Mark Lorenz Manosca (556) and Romulo Tilos (552) in air pistol, raising his tourney production to four golds including the rapid fire and standard pistol competitions.

Valdez, 14-year-old Malate Catholic School junior and a product of the National Youth Development Program headed by Tac Padilla, collected 1127 points to rout Allan Lao (1039) and emerge as the country’s top rifleman.

Another NYDP star, Shanin Lyn Gonzales, shared the day’s honors by also bringing home two gold medals – one in 25-meter sports pistol and the other in women’s 10-meter air pistol.

Gonzales tallied 570 to beat Tac’s daughter, Michaela Nicole Padilla (539) and Czarmaine Trajano (504) in sports pistol, and fired 370 to topple Alyanna Krystle Chuatoco (358) and Ma. Isabel Fernandez (355) in air pistol.

The other gold medalists were Richard Acoyno, Patrick Chuasoto, Daniel Canton, Rafael David, Bert Espiritu Ltsg. Marly Llorito and Jerwin Ching. Acoyno (32 points, air pistol scope), Chuasoto (30 points, air pistol iron sight), Canton (23 points, air rifle scope) and David (17 points, air rifle iron shot) prevailed in the metallic silhoutte competition.

Espiritu (1406) and Llorito (1403) topped the men’s and women’s open 1500 main match and also dominated the PPC-48 shot course in standard men and women and open modified men and women.

Ching triumphed in the men’s production.