Guyanese World C/ships bound riflemen link two former nationals in NYC

Jul 31, 2015 Sports

Former national fullbore shooters, Mohamed Haniff (4th left) and Derrick Narine (3rd right) with some current members of the GNRA team, from right, Ransford Goodluck, Dylan Fields, Leo Romalho, Mahendra Persaud, Ryan Sampson and Lennox Braithwaite.

By Franklin Wilson In New York compliments of
Ringbang, NAMILCO, Crown Mining Supply,
Fazia’s Collection and Queensway

The Guyanese members of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Team that will contest the
International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations (ICFRA) 2015 Palma Match and Team and Individual World Championships, arrived in New York on Wednesday en route to Camp Perry, Ohio where all the action will unfold from August 3-14.
The Guyanese members will join the other members of the West Indies team and will compete against 13 other countries in Individual and Team competitions.
Led by local Captain, Mahendra Persaud, Caribbean Individual and Guyana’s Individual Champion Lennox Braithwaite, Ransford Goodluck, Dylan Fields, Leo Romalho, Ryan Sampson, Peter Persaud and Sherwin Felicen on Wednesday evening met with two former National marksmen.
Mohamed Haniff and Derrick Narine were the toast of the evening which was spent at the Guyanese owned and operated Johnny’s Restaurant and Bar on Rockaway Boulevard.
Captain Persaud in remarks said that it was a great feeling for the current Guyana National Rifle Association (GNRA) to have met with two individuals that would have represented Guyana with pride over the years.
“It is very great feeling to rekindle and reminisce with you guys the great moments we have had over the years when you were active. Gatherings of this nature is also for the younger shooters to have an appreciation of who some of the wonderful shooters were that would have contributed to our dominance of the Caribbean over the years.”
Persaud reminisced that the last time the duo shot for Guyana was back in 2000 in Jamaica along with Braithwaite as Captain, Goodluck, Claude Duguid, Paul Slowe, Romahlo and himself. That year, Guyana won both the Short and Long Range championships as well as a total of 60 medals.
“Our performance in 2000 started the tradition of Guyana winning both Short and Long Range championships which was replicated in 2005, 2008 and 2014 in Jamaica alone.”
Braithwaite recalled that the duo were very good shooters who were committed to the team.
Both Haniff and Narine expressed gratitude to the GNRA for organizing such a nostalgic evening whilst wishing their colleagues the best for the World Championships as members of the West Indies team.
Guyanese based shooters, Sigmund Douglas and John Fraser will join the others for an approximately 8 hour drive from New York to Ohio tomorrow morning ahead of what is anticipated to be intense rivalry against the best shots in the world.
August 1st and 2nd will be practice days while competitive action will shoot off on August 3-5 with the US National Fullbore Championships at all ranges simultaneously with the ICFRA Veterans Individual Championships.