Shillong, Mar 12: After the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Meghalaya’s shooters from the Shooting Association of Meghalaya braved the odds and won 10 medals at the 8th North East Zone Shooting Championship in Guwahati recently.
The competition ran from 4th to 8th March with teams from Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Services as well as Meghalaya, SAM said in a press release today.
Fifteen shooters from the state took part, competing against 164 others from the five other teams in 10m rifle, 10m pistol, 25m sports pistol, 50m free pistol and 50m small bore sports rifle – prone position for men and women, juniors and seniors.
There were two gold medallists from Meghalaya – Shirley M Kharbuli in the 25m sports pistol (women) and Dennyson Kyrsian in the 50m small bore sports rifle – prone position (men).
Kyrsian also won a silver in the 10m rifle (men-junior) and a bronze in the 10m rifle (men-senior).
Rohit Thapa claimed two silver – 10m pistol (men-junior) and 10m pistol (men-senior). Anjali Singh was also runner-up in the 50m small bore sports rifle – prone position (women), while Balarishisha Rani took silver in the 25m sports pistol MQS (women) and 25m sports pistol ISSF (women).
In addition to her silver, Singh also won a bronze medal in the 10m rifle MQS (women).
“In spite of the present lack of permanent training facilities and lack of competition weapons for a number of events in the state, the shooters of Meghalaya have shown their consistent talents in the shooting sports and it is hoped that the state government will come forward to provide the necessary infrastructure and weapons to enable the the Shooting Association of Meghalaya to tap the immense hidden talents for shooting sports in the state of Meghalaya,” SAM President John F Kharshiing said in the press release.
(Photo: Shooting Association of Meghalaya)