Olympics-bound Rosario puputok sa Malaysia

MANILA, Philippines - Makikita kung talagang handa na si skeet shooter Brian Rosario para sa 2012 London Olympics sa kanyang pagbandera sa isang 21-man Philippine shooting team sa South East Asian Shooting Championships na nakatakda sa Biyernes sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sinabi ni Philippine National Shooting Association (PNSA) president Mikee Romero na patuloy na nagsasanay si Rosario mula pa noong nakaraang taon bilang paghahanda sa London Olympics.

“The tournament is going to be Rosario’s barometer, this is a good tournament for him,” wika ni Romero, may-ari ng port business Harbour Centre. “Whether he’s pea­king at the right time, we will know after the tournament.”

Inaasahan ni Romero na magiging maganda ang ipa­pakita ng naturang wild card entry sa quadrennial event matapos magtala ng 120 points sa 2011 World Cup sa Serbia noong Oktubre.

Isang puntos lamang ang kanyang agwat sa iskor ni American top shooter Vincent Hancock na kumuha ng gold medal sa 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Nagpaputok si Rosario ng 118 sa 2011 Sydney World Cup series noong Abril na nagpaganda sa kanyang minimum qualifying score na 114.

“He is shooting at a world-class level. It’s been a long-time since a Filipino shooter has reached this level,” sabi ni Romero. “But his event is very tough because they (participants) have to shoot for three days.”

Bukod kay Rosario, ang iba pang lalahok sa Kuala Lumpur event, ayon kay PNSA Secretary General Col. Danilo Gamboa, ay sina 2011 silver medalist Jayson Valdez at bronze medalist Inna Therese Gutierrez.

Nasa grupo rin sina veteran rifle shooter Emerito Concepcion, Patricio Bernardo, Gabriel Tong, Eric Ang, Hagen Topacio, Anson Pena Sy, Miguel Laperal, Ylvana Dy, Monica Yang, Joelle Panganiban, Frances Nicole Medina, Amparo Acuna, Celdon Jude Arellano, Dianne Nicole Eufemio, Shanin Lyn Gonzalez, Ma. Isabel. Fernandez, Venus Lovelyn Tan, at Mark Manosca.