Valdez rules 1st Capinpin shoot tourney

MANILA, Philippines - Jayson Valdez, 14-year-old shooting whiz from Malate Catholic School, lived up to expectation by winning the men’s air rifle gold medal in the first NYDP-Criz Capinpin Memorial shooting tournament at the PSC/Marines range in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Valdez, who has already earned a spot on the Philippine team to the Asian Youth Games in Singapore this July, fired 571 points to nip Santino Hermoso (570) and Filbert Tan (559).

The brother and sister team of Simon and Shanin Gonzales of Team Tagaytay also sizzled by bagging a gold medal each in the men’s and women’s air pistol event.

Simon posted 555 points to beat Mark Manosca (543) and Dervin Tan (515) while Shanin carded 367 to toppled Alyanna Chuatoco (363) and Maika Lacson (358).

Quezon City’s Diane Nicole Eufemio and Ateneo’s Andrea Faushman ruled their women’s air rifle and women’s air rifle (without jacket) competition, respectively.

Eufemio shot 382 points to down Venus Tan (376) and Marie Isabelle Eufemio (375) while Faushman tallied 337 to trim Kaye Lucaylocay (332).

Organized by the shooting association’s National Youth Development Program chaired by reigning pistol champion Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla, the event was held in honor of Christian Capinpin, a pioneer NYDP member who died last Feb. 23.

Capinpin, whose father Rafael is the planning and economics manager of Pilipinas Shell, was a member of the Philippine team to the 2008 Asean University Games in Bangkok and a silver medalist in air pistol in the PNSA-NYDP first anniversary tournament. which turned out to be his last competition,

“He’s a big loss to our youth program,” said Padilla. “He could have been one of our future champions.”