DESPITE a year-long layoff, top air pistol shooter Carlo Valdez remained sharp as ever, shooting a score of 585 to shatter a 29-year-old record in the 10-meter air pistol event during the PNSA monthly national trials last July 12 at the Philippine Marine shooting range in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
Coached by his father, former national shooter and airline pilot Capt. Roel Valdez, Carlo shot rounds of 98-98-98-98-98-95 to surpass the previous national mark of 584 set by Jomike Gonzalez at the same range in 1996.
Even more significantly, he bested the qualifying score of 584 of Serbia’s DamirMikec (99-97-96-98-97-97) in advancing to the finals of the event during the Paris Olympic Games last year.
“Congrats to Carlo for an incredible feat! Imagine shooting a world-class PH record score on your first tryout after a year-long layoff. That 585 (could have) made it to the 2024 Olympic finals,” noted former national trap shooter Raul Arambulo, who has supported the athlete since he was an air pistol protégé.
“The way Valdez is shooting consistently, I believe we have one solid gold prospect in the event in the forthcoming 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games in December, and other tournaments as well,” Arambulo said.
Valdez, 24, will lead 13 Filipino bets who will see action in the 16th Asian Shooting championships set Aug. 16 to 13 in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.
Besides Valdez, also on the PH squad are Enrique Enriquez and Paul Brian Rosario, men’s skeet; Hagen Alexander Topacio, Jethro Dionisio, Eric Ang, men’s trap; Janice Navato, Lydia Cuyong, Valerie Levanza, women’s trap; Ampara Acuna, women’s rifle; Franchette Quiroz, women’s pistol; Antonio Joseph Javines and Monica Javines, youth trap.
A total of 735 outstanding shooters from 28 countries will see action in event, according to the Asian Shooting Confederation website.
