Al Safeer top Oman Shooting Club Shield rifle contest

MUSCAT: The Oman Shooting Club Shield Championship continued at Active Oman Centre with strong participation from teams and shooting enthusiasts, as Action Point organised another competitive stage of the event.

The championship, which concludes on Wednesday, combines pistol and rifle contests at both individual and team levels, with the final standings decided through a combined points system. The close margins in the pistol competition and the entry of rifle results into the overall calculations have added further excitement ahead of the closing day.

In the rifle competition held on Sunday, Al Safeer topped the standings with 228 points, followed by Al Failaq in second place with 190 points, while Team X finished third with 82 points. The remaining contests will continue before the final results are officially approved.

Shooters compete in the rifle contest of the Oman Shooting Club Shield Championship at Active Oman Centre.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Nasser bin Abdullah al Gharbi, Director of Operations at Oman Shooting Club, said the championship is based on collecting points from individual and team events in both pistol and rifle competitions.

The team begins with the pistol contest, individually and collectively, before moving to the rifle range. After that, all points are combined to determine the final standings, he said.

Al Gharbi added that the current edition has reflected a good level of competition and growing interest in shooting sports. He said one of the main objectives is to spread shooting culture, introduce participants to the fundamentals of the sport, and enhance their knowledge of distances, firearm types, safety procedures and technical aspects such as mechanical stoppages.

A participant lines up his shot during the rifle competition organised by Action Point.

He described Oman Shooting Club as a distinctive sporting and tourism destination, noting that it is among the leading facilities in the Middle East in terms of its covered and indoor shooting ranges. The club includes specialised ranges for pistol and rifle shooting at different distances, in addition to a shotgun range, which supports the organisation of more competitions in pistol, rifle and shotgun disciplines.

Coach Arif al Hubaishi said the role of coaches begins with receiving shooters and reminding them of safety instructions before they enter the ranges, even if they have previous experience.

He explained that coaches’ brief participants on the championship rules, approved distances and competition procedures. He stressed that safety comes before the technical side of shooting, adding that coaches remain close to shooters inside the range, where lanes are separated by barriers and bulletproof and soundproof glass.

A shooter takes aim during the rifle round, with teams chasing valuable points ahead of the final day.

Shooter Khalil al Rashdi said the championship has witnessed strong competition, especially with the team format requiring higher scores to remain in contention. He said Oman Shooting Club’s events give shooters an important opportunity to measure their progress and develop their skills.

He said Pistol shooting is difficult and requires strong focus and accuracy. Sometimes the difference is not only in points, but also in centre hits.

Shooter Azzam al Saeedi from Ibri said his participation comes from his passion for shooting and love of competition. He added that the team format has created a new challenge, as success now depends on the performance of all team members.

The championship continues with growing anticipation, as rifle results are expected to play a decisive role before the winners of the Oman Shooting Club Shield are announced on Wednesday.