Kenyans missing in action

By Feverpitch Reporter

The ninth African Continental Shooting Championship was between March 20 and 28 in Tipaza, Algeria.

A total of 112 athletes from eight African nations competed on the shooting range at the foot of Mount Chenoua in the various rifle, pistol and shotgun disciplines of the World Shooting Federation.

A separate youth qualification match for the forthcoming Youth Olympic Games was integrated to select four African youngsters to Singapore in air pistol and air rifle.

KRRC club secretary and range officer Linet Awiti Owuor (left) explains the basics of air pistol shooting to a novice shooter Juliet Maruru. Photo: Courtesy

Since Egypt did not participate in the championship, most of the medals were hogged by Algeria (24) and Tunisia (13), with the Libyan team coming third.

Algeria’s success can clearly be attributed to the absence of the Egyptians and their co-operation with the French Shooting Federation.

In contrast, Sub-Saharan Africa was not well represented. From the 112 participants, only about 10-15 per cent were black, while the vast majority of 91 shooters came from the five Arab Maghreb countries with Algeria presenting 38.

Stayed at home

The small but strong Namibian team (with Africa’s best pistol shooter, Friedhelm Sack) stayed at home. South Africa had only four all-white junior athletes in contrast to Senegal’s 13 and Libya’s 21.

Not a single Kenyan shooter took part in this highest-ranked shooting event in Africa. This might have been occasioned by limited funds and National Olympic Committee of Kenya’s short time success-oriented nomination policies.

Due to a recent policy change of the International Olympic Committee, no quota could be won in any competition that would take place earlier than two years before the London Olympics.

The new regulation did not only lead to the cancellation of 2009 World Cup in India, but it also worked to the disadvantage of African shooters in general.

Possible venue

For them, the African Continental Championship is the only possible venue — apart from IOC tripartite commission wildcards — to gain access to the Olympic Games.

Apart from this event, there is no chance for any African shooter to win a first place at a World Cup, or World Shooting Championship 2010 in Munich.

Nevertheless, the absence of any Kenyan shooters at this event was unjustified. As the published results show, a Kenyan female pistol team would have possibly won medals.

It is true that Kenyan ISSF style shooters are not yet strong. Their last Olympians were rifle shooter Anuj Desai (1996) and pistol shooter Shuaib Adam (1984, 1988, 1992).

But the country has untapped potential and any visit at the Kenya Regiment Rifle Club (KRRC) range during the youth training days shows this is true in Africa in general.

The success of Indian shooters — with Abhinav Bindra winning the country’s first individual Olympic gold medal ever in Indian history, and becoming a national hero, and with some Indian shooters now competing as highly paid, flown-in guest athletes in the German shooting Bundesliga — shows what is possible to achieve in a short time.

A similar development has now started in Malaysia and in Algeria. In contrast to athletics or swimming, the development curve of athletes is much faster in shooting.

Some top shooters, like the young Indian pistol lady Heena Sidhu, have climbed from a rank beginner up to world-class level in only two years.

There is no doubt that such talent also exists in Kenya, but it is hidden and almost unsupported due to lack of trained coaches and funding. The NOC of Kenya would be well advised to become aware of this chance.

Created tension

One situation that had previously created tension in the African Continental Shooting Sports Federation, but was kept under the carpet, was the prolonged uncertainty about the time and venue of the African Championships, which was only resolved shortly before the event.

Egypt, the host of previous competitions in Cairo in 2007 and 1999, had previously lobbied that they should go to South Africa this time.

Contrary to the common assumption, the Egyptians were not so keen to dominate the competitions and the medal tally, but they felt that such an event should be held around the continent.

Apparently, there was neither much interest in hosting the event nor did they have the necessary infrastructure on the ground. The former South African police range is no longer accessible to civilian use.

The existing private venue at Eagle Eye Shooting Centre is modern but too small and one new high-level and large facility of international standards, STC at Florida HoÍrskool, is still under construction

Among the other African countries, only Kenya would have a chance of hosting the next African Shooting Championship in 2012.

But it would be necessary that existing modern, accessible, but small range of the KRRC on the premises of the Sailing Club, on the Southern side of Nairobi Dam, would be upgraded to electronic targets.

Rifle range

Lack of a modern 50 metres rimfire rifle and free pistol range would be considered a significant detriment by the African Shooting Sports Federation and the ISSF.

However, Nairobi has the large Embakasi 300+ metres centerfire rifle range, the Ngong pistol and rifle range, the Ruiru golf course shotgun range and the Athi River long-distance rifle range.

All are situated in convenient vicinity, and Nairobi thus actually offers more and better venues for a comprehensive all-African Shooting Championship than any present South African location could.