Sabrina, Shahadat win gold

Veteran shooter Sabrina Sultana aims at the bull's eye during the 50-metre rifles three-position event in the IFIC Bank 26th National Shooting Championship at the National Shooting Complex in Gulshan yesterday.Photo: STAR

Shahadat Ahmed and Sabrina Sultana clinched gold in the 50m Rifles 3 position and 25m Standard Piston respectively in the IFIC Bank 26th National Shooting Championship at the National Shooting Com-plex in Gulshan yesterday.
Shahadat of Bangladesh Army Shooting Club scored 538 out of 600 to put his teammate Nadimul Islam (516) to retain the crown of the 25m standard pistol gold.
Ripon Kumar of Dhaka Rifles Club won the bronze medal with a score of 508.
“It is always pleasing to win gold medal,” said Shahadat on his immediate reaction.
The 31-year old from Natore, whose pet event is the 10m Air Pistol, chose the 25m standard pistol event last year after coming back to the country following four years of service at an overseas UN Mission and immediately won gold with only two-and-a-half months of practice. However, this time he had one year's practice before coming into the championship.
“I had scored 560 in practice but there was no reflection in the main competition.
However, I am confident to score the same in the competition as I am enjoying this event because it is more challenging than the other pistol events,” said Shahadat.
Shahadat will also compete in the 10m air pistol and 50m pistol, two events where he is yet to win any gold.
Though there was huge gap in the points attained in men's 25m standard pistol, the women's 50m Rifles 3 position saw tough competition among Sabrina Sultana, Suraiya Akhter and Sharmin Shilpa.
Veteran Subrina from Dhaka Rifles Club, who missed last year's championship due to suspension, regained her 50m rifles 3 position crown with a score of 544 out of 600 though followed by Suraiya of Narayanganj Rifles Club, who scored 542 points. Sabrina's teammate Shilpa finished third with 541 points.