REIGNING Zimbabwe Practical Pistol national champion Ian Kay of Donnington Practical Pistol Club in Bulawayo out-shot 41 other gunslingers from Zimbabwe and South Africa to win the 2009 Matabeleland Practical Pistol championships in Bulawayo at the weekend. Â
Kay shot an aggregate score of 1 038 points, and was closely followed by fellow Bulawayo shooter Pieter Greeff who accrued a score of 987. The bronze medal went to Warren King of Donnington with 980 points.
Paul Friendship of Harare and Troy Maidwell of Bulawayo rounded out the top 5 with scores of 932 and 861 and 803 respectively. Â
In the ladies division, Tara Maidwell of Bulawayo took gold with a score of 630, and was followed by Misty Appel and Caroline Atkinson, both of Harare who shot 528 and 429. Â
John Dudman of Bulawayo won the seniors division with a score of 600, while Ira Larivers of Harare took second place with 363, and Jan Oosthuizen of South Africa won the bronze with 333 points. Jess Van Staden of Bulawayo was the only junior shooter, winning the division with 195 points.
The shoot consisted of 11 separate courses of fire and required 230 rounds for each competitor to complete. Seven competitors travelled up from South Africa to compete, and were joined by competitors and provincial teams Mutare and Harare.
In addition the prestigious Africa Area Championships, an international Level 4 match and one grade below a world championship, held once every three years, will be shot this year in Welkom, South Africa.Â
The local matches will act as selection shoots for the Zimbabwe national team to travel to Welkom in November. – Ira Larivers.
