Daily Times

KARACHI: Maintaining their stranglehold, Pakistan Navy shooters clinched a rich haul of 34 golds out of possible 44 to win the Parvez Abbasi Open Shooting Championship which concluded at the PN Karsaz Shooting Range here Sunday. Besides the golds, the naval marksmen and women captured 36 silvers and 19 bronzes. Sindh finished runners-up with a medals tally of 5-316 while the Pakistan Air Force (4-3-2) were placed third. Talented Bilal Yaqoob, 19, Mehak Fatima and Fakhr-un-Nisa created quite a stir by upsetting superior shooters and capturing gold medals on the concluding day. Yaqoob not only won the individual gold in Trap Olympic but also helped his team Sindh win the team event. He earned 86/100 IMP by lowering the colours of national champion and team mate UsmanYaqoob who ended up with 80/100. Shakil Ilyas, also of Sindh, seized the bronze with a tally of 74/100 mal(ing the competition an all-Sinh affair.

In the team event, the Sindh trio toppled Navy A and B respectively to annex team gold. Fatima and Fakhr-un-Nisa also shone by capturing gold medals in the Air Rifle women’s and Air Rifle women’s juniors respectively. Both belonged to the Navy. Askara Abbasi, wife of late Parvez Abbasi, graced the closing ceremony and gave away the prizes.

Published in Daily Times, August 15^th 2017.