RP shooters keep Singaporeans within sight

KUALA LUMPUR (Via Globe Telecoms) — The shooters may well keep their tradition of always delivering the first medal to the Philippine contingent in the Southeast Asian Games as the men’s trap team put itself in contention for top honors after the opening 75-target phase of the event.

Reigning titlist Jaime Recio and Eric Ang hit 66 apiece while Jethro Dionisio shot down 65 for a total of 197 for second place, only one behind No. 1 Singapore with 198.

Singapore’s Lee Wung Yew paced the individual event with 70 followed by teammate Kwa Eng Cheong and Malaysia’s Charles Cheng with 68 apiece, then Recio and Ang at fourth with 66 each.

Dionisio, former world champion in practical shooting, was tied with Thai teammates Pataisan Bodhidata and Suriya Raktasanti with 65 each.

A total of 15 shooters are entered in the event at the Subang Shooting Range with Gary Goh (Malaysia) getting 64, Leong Wei Heng (Malaysia) 62, Doan Xuan Tho (Vietnam) 61, Cheng Seng Mok (Singapore) 60, Prasit Kitcharoen (Thailand) 60, Le Nghia (Vietnam) 59 and Duong Anh Trung (Vietnam) 43.

The men’s trap competition resumes today at 8 a.m. with final 50 traps.

Josefina Gay Corral, with 55, was good for only sixth place in the women’s trap individual play topped by Indonesian Sarmunah with 66.

The Indons took the first two golds staked in the Games as Sarmunah ruled the individual competition and together with teammates Sylvia Silimang and Supadni copped team top honors in women’s trap.

The Indons stamped their class in the event, shooting 188, compared to the 158s of second and third placers the Singaporeans (Goh Chung Wei, Aihi Samat and Tan Poh Tian) and the Vietnamese (Hoang Thi Tuat, Dang Thi Thu Trang and Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai) with 158 apiece.

Corral was the lone Philippine entry in the event which lured a total of 13 shooters. — Nelson Beltran