WIFBSC 2023 Short Range Team Match: Guyanese shooters almost flawless

…Win every range to take back the trophy

Magnificent shooting from the Guyanese marksmen, led by Peter Persaud — who dropped three (3) points from a possible 150, including the only possible of the day at 500 yards (50.4) — coupled with excellent coaching by Mahendra Persaud, Captain Dylan Fields and Lennox Braithwaite, ensured Guyana fired its way to victory in the Short Range Match at the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council 2023 Championships, which ended at the Crabbs Rifle and Pistol Range yesterday afternoon.
Peter Persaud’s performance has earned him the Wogart Trophy, which is for the shooter recording the highest score for the day. It was a vintage performance by the Guyanese, who had lost to host nation Jamaica last year by a single point. However, this year, the team was determined not to let anyone come remotely close, and from the first range, the dye was virtually cast.

Captain Fields and Roberto Tiwari each dropped five (5) points out of the possible 150, and reigning Individual champion Lennox Braithwaite dropped six (6) to ensure that, from the start — the 300-yard range — a solid foundation was set, upon which the team built at the 500-yard and 600-yard ranges.
At 300 yards, no Guyanese shooter went below 44 points, and when the final shot rang out and the scores were tallied, Guyana was well ahead with 375 points and 25 V-Bulls. The closest nation was the host, with 365 points and 19 V-Bulls.
At 500 yards, the Guyanese took it up a few notches. Led by Peter Persaud’s possible 50.4, tallied 378 points and 21 Vs, the home team was again the closest 6-points back. The Antiguans fought bravely, but the deficit was way too much to overcome, the Guyanese being very focused and determined to reclaim the trophy.
The 600-yard range produced another fabulous shoot from the Guyanese, as they fired their way to 366 points and 15 Vs, another unbeatable score that propelled them to victory at this 2023 edition of the competition, organized by the Antigua and Barbuda Rifle Association on behalf of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council.
Guyana tallied 1119 points, along with 61 Vs, the most points and Vs by any nation at this year’s competition. Next was Antigua & Barbuda with 1099.53 points. Canada followed (1091.59), and Jamaica (1028.41), both eclipsing Barbados on Vs (34), as both ended with the same points.
Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, on hearing the news that Guyana won, immediately called Captain Fields to express the nation’s delight on behalf of Minister of Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. Ninvalle told Fields and the team members that Guyanese are very proud of their achievement in showing the rest of the Caribbean that we are indeed the best in this sport at the Individual and Team levels. He promised that the Ministry and the National Sports Commission would work closely with the GuyanaNRA to further advance the sport.
Guyana is slated to host the 2024 edition of the WIFBSC Championships, which will also include the Long-Range Competition.
Meanwhile, President of the WIFBSC, Major Nelson, offered congratulations to the Guyana team from the Council and Jamaica.
Captain Fields spoke on behalf of his charges: “The result was proof that the programme that was decided upon after Jamaica was the correct one. I was confident that this team was well prepared, and as such, the result was inevitable. I am happy for Guyana, and the people, the Government and the companies that have stood behind us. This win is for them. I also want to say congrats to Peter Persaud on winning the Wogart Trophy.”