Marksmen off to Ecuador for world championships
Marksmen off to Ecuador for world championships
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The national practical shooting team has a dual purpose in
participating in the upcoming World Shoot XIV championships in
Ecuador.
The 11 marksmen want to do well in the competition, but they
are also aiming for Indonesia to win the right to host the 2008
championship.
"We are not preoccupying ourselves with a target. We cannot
challenge the world's shooting strongholds yet. We are simply
taking part, keen to see if some of our shooters can turn in a
surprise performance," International Practical Shooting
Confederation (IPSC) regional director Bambang Trihatmodjo told
The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
National shooters will compete in the open and standard
divisions at the Aug. 22-Aug. 26 event in Guayaquil; other events
in competition are production, revolver and modified divisions.
The IPSC of Indonesia will also push its bid to host the 2008
championships during the concurrent general assembly.
"I heard the Czech Republic is the only other IPSC region
wanting to bid. But I'm sure that if the decision goes to a vote
we can take it," said Bambang, putting the country's chances of
success at 90 percent.
"We already have experience in organizing an international
with the recent AustralAsia championship in Bali. Participants
praised the event."
A four-level international event, the AustralAsia in December
was a level below the world championships. World champion Eric
Grauffel of France triumphed in the open division in Bali event
while national top shooter Roy Haryanto finished in the top 10.
Bambang said hosting the event, which was last held in Asia in
Cebu, the Philippines, in 1999, would help the country's image
abroad.
"With more than 1,000 participants, the championship will once
again be good promotion for Bali and Indonesia."
Roy, who finished 19th in the world championship in South
Africa in 2002, will again be the country's best hope in Ecuador,
along with Zainal Arief and Paul Banuara.
"We hope one of them will be able to challenge the world's top
shooters," said Bambang, who is also part of the team.
Although looking forward to the challenge of international
competition, Paul said he wished he had more practice for the
championships.
"If it is about coming up against international shooters in a
world-level event, the preparation still falls short of the
supposedly ideal load. We are not simply athletes. We have to
divide our time between business and practicing," said Paul, an
architect by profession.
His Ecuadorian trip will be his third appearance in a world
championships, and he is relishing the chance to take on Asia's
best.
"Hopefully, I can overcome Asian rivals," he said.
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Indonesian shooting team:
Bambang Trihatmodjo, Jay Reyes, Hendra Jaya, Pandji Adhikumoro,
Joseph Leonardi, Semuil Susilo, Paul Banuara, Sinyo Haryanto, Roy
Haryanto, Richard Hendarmo, Zainal Arief, Fabian Surya Putra
(team manager)