Latest update March 29th, 2025 5:11 AM
Mahendra Persaud thrilled with performances at seniors -says Guyana enjoyed another fantastic year
By Franklin Wilson
Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) Long Range Captain Mahendra Persaud is of the view that this year’s senior championships which concluded at the Guyana Defence Force Timehri Rifle Ranges Sunday last produced a high standard of shooting by all the participants in the X and O classes.
Following three days of close shooting at the 300, 500 and 600 yards ranges, Caribbean Individual Champion Lennox Braithwaite emerged as the new national champion dethroning old rival, Ransford Goodluck in the clash of the big boys, X-class.
Mahendra Persaud
A new champion was also crowned in the O-class where Peter Persaud took over the reins from Lt. Col Terrence Stuart.
Persaud said that he was disappointed that this year’s championship had to be limited to the Short Range as a result of the type of ammunition they had noting that it was not conducive to long range shooting which is at the 900 and 1000 yards.
“But that apart, I was very pleased with the general performances of our shooters. We knew that the top four as we call them would have seen intense competition. Leo Ramalho shot very well and is sure a good addition to the Caribbean team.”
The Captain also complimented the O-class riflemen for the intensity which was displayed among them.
“It was nice to see in the O-class, especially Peter Persaud performing as well as he did something a few of us expected would have occurred a few years ago. Sherwin Felicien will come back strong, he is still learning about his new rifle. The old veteran Terrence Stuart must also be complimented for his performance.”
Persaud summed up the year as an excellent one for Guyana: “We won the Individual and both Long and Short Range titles at the West Indies championships in Jamaica. We had a good run at Bisley with Braithwaite making the Queens final ending 40th in the final 100. We also all had decent Grand Aggregate Individual performances at Bisley.
In the pairs match at the Commonwealth Games we shocked the world with a 6th place finish, the bronze medal was just 5 points away. The 4th and 5th placed teams were ahead of us by 1 point and Vs respectively.”
Persaud also noted that in Canada, he had a great run finishing 14th in the Governor General’s final 2 points behind the winner, Vs separating the shooters from 4th place to 14th.
Looking ahead to 2015, the National Captain said that the GNRA will be focusing on training some new shooters who would be interested in joining the ranks using air rifles, the Scatt Electronic Machine and .22 Rifles. “They will, after careful analysis be introduced to fullbore shooting.”
HE said that the senior marksmen will be engaged in intense Long Range shooting without neglecting the Short Ranges as they prepare for the Palma World Long Range Individual and Team championships in the USA as members of the West Indies team.
Competition will be at 800, 900 and 1000 yards.
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