Youth shooters hottest guns alive in National Open

The youthful shooters, led by 14-year-old Shanin Gonzales and Dianne Eufemio, dominated the 10-meter Olympic air pistol and 10-meter air rifle events at the start of the 2008 National Open championships at the PSC/Marines shooting complex in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Gonzales bagged the women’s air pistol gold with 360 points, beating national shooter Therese Cantada (355) and Ateneo’s Mara Garcia (352). Gonzales also led Mica Padilla, 16, and Alynna Chuatoco, 14, to the team gold with 1046, way ahead of Ateneo (1013) and Team Cantada (928).

Eufemio sparked the youngsters’ 1-2-3-4 finish in the women’s air rifle competition. She fired 377 to win the gold, followed by Venus Tan (374), Irish Palma (372) and Carina dela Victoria (371).

Meanwhile, multi-titled internationalist Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla, Olympian Emerito Concepcion and Carolino Gonzales also ruled their respective events.

Padilla, 15-time campaigner in the SEA Games and head of the youth program, continued his 30-year reign as rapid fire champion by posting 563 points to beat Robert Donalvo (560) and his brother Donald Padilla (531).

Padilla also ruled the modified Camp Perry event with 283, five and 11 points away from Donalvo and Ronald Hejastro, respectively.

Concepcion took the men’s air rifle gold over Santino Hermoso while Gonzales topped the air pistol and 50m pistol events.

Concepcion carded 676.3 to hold off Hermoso (670.6) and Daryl Sandoval (661). Gonzales 561 in air pistol to topple Allan Azurin (554) and Ronald Robles (552), and then shot 532 in free pistol to rout Bobby Gonzales (519) and Romulo Tilos (518).