Phl shooters reign in National Open

MANILA, Philippines - National team mainstays Emerito  Concepcion and Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla and Nanjing Asian Youth Games veteran Amparo Acuña captured a pair of gold medals each in the recent National Open Shooting Championships held at the Philippine Marine Range inside Fort Bonifacio in Taguig.

Concepcion, 53, scored 1,137 points in ruling  the men’s 10-meter air rifle and also annexed the 50-meter,  3-position title  with a 590 tally, relegating youthful teammate Jayson Valdez, 18, to the silver in both events with scores of 1,120 and 587, respectively.

The multi-titled Padilla, 48, topped  the men’s 25-meter standard pistol with 542 points and ruled the 25-meter center fire with a 559 tally in the event organized by the Philippine National Shooting Association headed by Col. Danilo Gamboa.

Padilla, however, was upset in  his favorite  men’s 25-meter rapid-fire event by national teammate Ronald Hejastro, who narrowly won the gold by shooting 550 points to the sportsman-businessman’s 548.

Acuña bagged the gold in the women’s 50-meter, 3-position (559) and added another  one in the women’s 10-meter air rifle (388) plus a silver in the women’s 50-meter prone position (589) won by Therese Gutierrez (590).