MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Good day for Falklands Shooters
22 year old Gareth Goodwin, in his first ever Commonwealth Games hit a magnificent 103 from a possible of 105, in the First Stage of the Individual Full-Bore competition.
This is the highest ever score recorded by a Falklands shooter in the First Stage, since the Islands entered the Commonwealth Games in 1982. There are two stages remaining in this event.
Gareth's score bettered the previous best by 4 points, and saw him end the first day in a highly credible 21st position, just 2 points behind the leader. There are 44 shooters in the event.
He began at 300 yards with a possible of 35, putting all 7 bullets into the bulls-eye (each bullet scoring 5 points). At 500 yards he repeated his earlier effort - another 35. Going to 600 yards, he dropped his first shot, scoring a 4, but did not allow this to unsettle him and hit another 5 straight bulls-eyes, before dropping his 7th and final shot, and scoring 33 at this difficult range.
The Falklands second competitor, Derek Pettersson, opened poorly with 28 at 300 yards, but recovered magnificently, and cracked in a 'full-house' of 35 at 500 yards, and followed up with another 7 straight bulls-eyes at 600 yards, for another 35, giving him a total of 98 after the First Stage. Great credit to Derek for his fine recovery.
No less than 6 competitors scored a maximum of 105, while many more hit 104, but there is still a long way to go in the competition. On Wednesday the 44 shooters will return to the 300, 500 and 600 yards ranges, but this time firing 10 rounds. They have a rest day on Thursday before the gold. silver and bronze medals will be decided on Friday at the tricky 900 and 1000 yards ranges.
Saul Pitaluga and Graham Didlick were in action in the Clay Pigeon Olympic Trap individual event. Saul's scored of 64 see's him just below half-way with 2 more rounds to go on Wednesday. Graham, improved considerably from his weekend effort and is positioned 34th of the 36 competitors. His strongest event - pistol shooting - is still to come.
Overall a good day for the Falklands shooters, but Gareth Goodwin had an outstanding score.
Patrick Watts - Manchester
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