Tac cops 2 golds in nat’l shootfest

MANILA, Philippines - Unsinkable Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla maintained his dominance in the 25-meter rapid fire and centerfire pistol events by bagging the gold medals in the ongoing national shooting championships at the PSC-Marine range in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

National champion since 1978, the 50-year-old Padilla carded 557 points to rout Ronald Hejastro (528) and Clarence Pukya (513) in rapid fire, and tallied 556 to beat Pukya (552) and Carolino Gonzales (528) in centerfire.

“My twin wins are my gifts to my father, who is celebrating his birthday soon,” said Padilla, whose dad, former Olympian and long-time national shooter Mariano “Tom” Ong,  started him on the sport when he was barely10 years old.  

Despite his busy schedule as general manager of their family-owned Spring Cooking Oil, Padilla still managed to keep his sharp form. He guns for a third gold in the standard pistol competition next week.

Jayson Valdez, youthful product of Padilla’s NYDP (National Youth Development Program) under the shooting association, and former national shooter Susan Aguado also sparkled in the tournament.

Valdez won the 50-meter men’s air rifle event with 588 and the 50-meter men’s 3-position with 1136 and finished a close second in the 50-meter men’s rifle prone competition with 576, while Aguado, who turned to coaching many years ago but decided to become active again, posted 527 points to topple Shanin Gonzales (526) and Gloria Cabuslay (473) in the 25-meter sports pistol match.

The other gold medalists were Amparo Teresa Acuna in 50-meter women’s air rifle, Benny Cagurin in 50-meter men’s rifle prone and Tito Carpio with 526 in 50-meter free pistol.

Valdez topped Celdon Jude Arellano (580) and Michael Gabriel Jayme (577) in air rifle, Acuna tallied 389 to whip Inna Therese Gutierrez (380) and Esmeralda Alegria Cruz (371), Cagurin scored 582 to trim Valdez and Rocky Pardilla (576) in rifle prone, Carpio chalked up 526 to nip Carolino Gonzales (522) and Simon Karl Gonzales (501) in free pistol and Valdez upstaged former champion Emerito Concepcion (1125) in 3-position rifle.