Shooters gun for gold, cash

MEMBERS of the Philippine shooting squad gun for gold medals and hefty cash incentive.

The Philippine National Shooting Association (PNSA) is dangling a hefty cash incentive for those who will shoot gold medals in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

PNSA president Luis “Chavit” Singson said he will dole out a cash reward of P250,000 for every gold medal that they will win in the prestigious biennial meet that is set to unwrap at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

A seasoned practical shooter, Singson said his wards are capable of gunning down at least six gold medals after they emerged as the top Southeast Asian country in the recent Asian Shooting Championship in Doha, Qatar.

Tipped to make an impact are trap shooters Carlos Carag and Hagen Topacio, who both have handsome chances of qualifying in the Tokyo Olympics next year.

Also expected to seriously threaten their Southeast Asian rivals are former Olympian in trap shooter Eric Ang; rifle shooters Jayson Valdez, Amparo Acuña, Denise Basila and Sean Jayfred Ocampo; pistol shooters Shanin Lyn Gonzales, Juliette Rose Arellano, Marcelo Gonzales, and Angelo Michael Fernandez.

“I wish them all the luck and pray that we will win as one,” said Singson, who became the first national sports association president to offer cash incentives to his outstanding performers.

Singson also lauded PNSA vice president Irene Garcia, coaches Julius Valdez, Fernando Mercado, Susan Aguado and armorer Mario Dasalla for their roles in gaining top honors for the country in the Asian championship.

Mercado had earlier expressed confidence in his trap squad because its scores at the Asian championship were equivalent to gold medals in both the individual and team competitions in the SEA Games.

Singson agreed, saying that his wards will greatly contribute to the country’s target of winning 274 gold medals, which was way more than the 113 gold medals that Team Philippines harvested when it ruled the biennial meet in 2005.

“It’s a tall order but I know Team Pilipinas can and will do it,” said Singson, who handed P250,000 to the shooting team to aid its preparation and participation in the region’s biggest and grandest sports conclave.