MANILA: Around 300-350 shooters are expected to join the 46th Southeast Asian Shooting Association Championships from Nov. 24 to Dec. 14. The tournament will feature various shooting disciplines including practical shooting, sporting clays, bench rest, and Olympic shotgun events, which consist of trap and skeet shooting.
According to Philippines News Agency, Philippine National Shooting Association (PNSA) Secretary-General Irene Garcia expressed her excitement about the event during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the VIP Room of the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. She noted that while hosting such an event requires significant effort, it promises to be the largest multi-shooting event the Philippines will host this year. The competition is being organized in collaboration with the Philippine Practical Shooting Association (PPSA).
Garcia emphasized the importance of unity within the shooting community, highlighting the passion and skill of Filipinos in the sport. She was joined at the forum
by bench rest shooter Richard Cases. Leading the trap shooting category will be Hagen Topacio, Eric Ang, and Olympian Jethro Dionisio, while Enrique Leandro Enriquez and Olympian Bryan Rosario will compete in the skeet event. The women’s division will see entries from Valerie Levanza, Abby Cuyong, Amparo Acuna, and Franchette Quiroz.
Garcia also mentioned that the tournament would serve as an opportunity to assess the performance of Filipino shooters ahead of the Southeast Asian Games next year, as they compete against top contenders from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. The event will take place at multiple venues, including the Magnus-Frontsight Firing Range in Lipa City, Batangas, the Marine Corps Training Center in Taguig City, and the NCSAP Firing Range, Laperal Farm in Lipa, Batangas.