Wahome shoots his way to pistol fame

By OSCAR PILIPILI

Determination, focus and high discipline resulted to Anthony Wahome’s achievement as Kenya’s top pistol marksman this year.

The sharp-shooting Wahome was declared overall winner of the Kenya Ordinance Factories-sponsored Practical Pistol Kenya Open Championship as the season came to an end at Kenya Regiment Rifle Club (KRRC) Indoor Range in Lang’ata.

Wahome, who, despite lagging behind Memba Muriuki by close to 90 seconds at position seven on the first day of the competition, managed to come back on the second day with superb shooting to claim the championship on 660.02 points.

On day one of the event, after a series of Courses of Fire (COF), Muriuki led with a score of 324.22, while Alvin Jones brought in a score of 342.28.

Wahome came in seventh with a score of 418.81. On day two, however, it was Wahome who performed a hat trick and led from the first COF to the last.

The event, dubbed the Steel Challenge, consisted of a series of falling plates as well as the dreaded ‘Abdulgani Star’- the rotating falling plates that proved a challenge to many. Wahome said: "The championship was tight because everyone wanted to win, but thank God I emerged the best of them all."

"The success didn’t come on a silver platter though. It was a culmination of hard work, intensive training and will to win," said the KRRC shooter.

Tajinder Sehmi, also of KRRC, accumulated 666.74 points (324.22 and 348.73) to emerge the first runner-up in the star-studded contest termed ‘the mother of all battles.’

Muriuki, who has won the event in the past, came in third on 672.95 points whereas Kiki Onyonka followed him closely on 699.00. According to pistol section captain Riaz Abdulgani, the Kenya Open was by all standards the hardest course ever shot, and yet the shooters still managed to bring in good results.

To qualify for the event, the shooters were required to have shot at least five of the 10

monthly league tournaments, held every last Sunday of the month at the indoor KRRC Range. The scores have been finalised as follows: Kenya Open 2010 Championship, won by Anthony Wahome; The 2010 League (average of best of seven out of 10 monthly) won by Richard Law and Steel Challenge - falling Plates - won by Memba Muriuki.

Abdulgani said: "I’m happy that the three trophies have gone to three different individuals, unlike the past where they have gone to one person in Muriuki."

Abdulgani has since thanked all those who made the 2010 season a success and hopes for a better future as the practical pistol competition resume in February.