Padilla rules three shooting events

Multi-titled Nathaniel "Tac" Padilla stamped his class anew in the local shooting circuit recently by lording it over in three events — rapid fire, center fire and standard pistol — at the PSC range in Fort Bonifacio.

Padilla, 36-year-old general manager of Spring Cooking Oil and son of former Olympian Mariano "Tom" Ong, tallied 576, 563 and 567 points in the rapid fire, standard pistol and center fire events, respectively, to lead the eliminations for the Philippine team to the Southeast Asian Games.

"I’m happy with my performance considering that I had little time to practice due to my business commitments," said Padilla, who won his first international gold medal 24 years ago.

Padilla beat Carlos Vincent Medina (570) and Inocentes Dionesa (557) in rapid fire, Gilbert Escobar (541) and Dionesa (537) in standard and Dionesa (560) and Carolino Gonzales (554) in center fire.

Gonzales redeemed himself by winning the free pistol event. He scored 556 to rout Marcelo Gonzales (535) and Escobar (531).

However, Escobar turned the tables on Gonzales in the 10-meter air pistol tilt. He carded 568 to nip Marcelo Gonzales via countback after they had finished tied for first. Carolino Gonzales was third on 564.

Another veteran national shooter, Susan Aguado, shared the limelight by topping the ladies’ 10-meter air pistol and sport pistol competitions.

Aguado shot 368 to nose out Therese Cantada (366) and Ma. Lourdes Ramirez (359) in air pistol and tallied 562 to crush Ramirez (542) and Cantada (540) in sport pistol.