Phl bidding to host Asian shotgun camp

MANILA, Philippines - In an effort to further inspire the new crop of talents and enhance the popularity of shotgun shooting in the country, Philippine National Shooting Association (PNSA) president Mikee Romeo is bidding to host the Youth Olympic Shooting Camp next year.

“We need this kind of activity to promote the Philippines as well as the sport of shotgun in the country and the whole of Asia. We will learn a lot from this two-week shooting camp since current and former Olympians and coaches coming from all over the world would converge and teach the young turks the ABC’s of shotgun shooting,” said Romero during the awarding ceremonies of the Philippine Open Shooting Championship recently.

Romero, who is also the president of Harbour Centre, and PNSA executive director Larry Paredes have already informed Asian Shooting Confederation president H. E. Sheil Salman Al Sabah of Kuwait about the country’s eagerness to host the event where shotgun shooters from 43-member countries are expected to send their delegates.

Both Romero and Paredes attended the recent Asian Shooting Confederation where Al Sabah, a member of Kuwait’s royal family, was elected to a second term.

“The Sheik has promised to help us, so I hope we will win the right to host the event. If that happens, I’m very sure we can produce a lot of world class shooters not only in shotgun,” said Romero, who was elated with the success of the recent National Open Championships. “It was one of the biggest shooting tournaments in the country. Everybody is happy, so some are telling me to stage more tournaments next year.”

Meanwhile, former PNSA president and Olympican Art Macapagal was re-elected to the executive board of the ASC. Macapagal was one of the two Southeast Asian delegates to make it to the powerful board.

The Olympic Council of Asia, according to Romero, is also pushing vigorously for the staging of the youth camp.

 and is willing to sponsor the participation of the delegates from 43 nations.

Also bidding to host the two-week event -- slated in June - are Malaysia and Singapore.

If the country wins the right to host the Shooting Camp, Romero said they will need the help of the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission in building a shotgun shooting range of international standard.

Paredes has also asked the ASC to grant PNSA the right to host an International Jury Certification Course Seminar so that more Filipinos would be eligible to referee or jury in the international arena once certified to be a jury.