KSC retains title, seven records set

JAKARTA (JP): Defending champion Kartika Shooting Club (KSC) outclassed its opponents at the Inter-Club National Championships at the Bung Karno Shooting Range in Senayan, Central Jakarta, grabbing 11 of 24 gold medals on offer.

The five-day championships, which ended on Sunday, saw seven national records broken. The new records were set in the men's standard pistol individual (Purwadi of the Brawijaya club); men's free rifle prone (Arie Setiatmoko of Timor); men's air pistol (Maryono of Kartika); men's free pistol (Sarozawato Zai of Kartika); women's sport pistol (Amanty Muslimah of Bali Police); men's air pistol team (Kartika); and women's air pistol team (National Police).

"It is common that a team with disciplined and well-trained shooters can dominate an event. Our shooters are the chosen ones," Kartika team manager Sunarto said after the event.

"We select our team members from combat units in the Army and train them in sport shooting techniques. It is not a big problem for them."

Sunarto, an Army brigadier general and a sharpshooter himself, also urged the Indonesian Target Shooting and Hunting Association (Perbakin) to select more athletes from the military for the national team.

"It is common practice. In other countries, shooters are usually members of the military and police, but that does not prohibit civilian shooters from being on the team.

"Maybe we can specialize; use shooters with a military background in the live weapons events and civilians in the air weapons events," he said.

In the action on Sunday, Laksmi Singgih of the Bimantara club grabbed the title in the women's sport rifle three positions individual event with a total of 558 points. Teammate Yuniarti Ilyas followed in second place with 548 and Inca Ferry W of ESC was third with 545.

In the men's center fire pistol individual event, Purwadi of Brawijaya scored 567 points to take gold. Idsyam Kaplale of East Java Police was second with 563 points and Alfian Sitompul of Dewaruci was third with 555.

Kartika added one more gold to its total haul by winning the men's center fire pistol team event with a total score of 1,656. Iriantoni led the team with 554 points, Mukroni carded 552 and Joko Wisunu produced 550.

Dewaruci finished second with 1,643 points from Alfian Sitompul (555), Tito (551) and (537). And the East Java Police grabbed the bronze with 1,588 points from Idsyam Kaplale (563), Solikhin (519) and Bambang S.P. (506). (nvn)