Six promising youthful shooters have been selected to represent the Philippines in the first Asian Schools Shooting Championship set July 27-Aug. 2, this year in Singapore.
Philippine National Shooting Association president Art Macapagal and NYDP (National Youth Development Program) chair Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla picked the six youngsters based on their performance in the 1st Mayor Freddie Tinga and the 1st Art Macapagal youth competitions.
The Singapore-bound youngsters are Shanin Gonzales of the Tagaytay team and Padilla’s daughter Mica of Assumption College who will vie in women’s air pistol; Dianne Eufemio (Quezon City) and Carinna dela Victoria (Tagaytay), who will compete in women’s air rifle; Simon Gonzales (Tagaytay), and Santino Hermoso (DLSU), who will see action in men’s air pistol and men’s air rifle, respectively.
“At this early stage of our youth shooting program, I have already spotted some boys and girls with world-class potentials. I’m confident that it won’t take long for us to produce future champions,” noted Macapagal, who supervised last Sunday’s training at the Marines range in Fort Bonifacio together with Padilla, multi-awarded pistol king who competed 15 times in the Southeast Asian Games.
So far, shooters from four cities – Taguig, Quezon, Tagaytay and Makati – have been training and competing regularly in events organized by the NYDP.
However, Padilla assured the PNSA president that the program will expand shortly to include other cities and provinces as the new models of world class air pistols and air rifles arrive.
The importation of these equipment has been approved by no less than the PNP chief, General Avelino Razon Jr.
The youth program was conceived by the PNSA in a bid to develop future champions. Padilla was named chair by Macapagal “to serve as a role model and inspiration to aspiring shooters.”