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29 March 2024

American and Spaniard eye top prize in shooting

Some of the participants in the Nad Al Sheba Shooting Championships. (SUPPLIED)

Published

An American and a Spaniard looked set to walk away with the top prizes in the men’s and women’s categories after finishing at the pinnacle on the penultimate day of the Nad Al Sheba Sporting Clays Championship at the Al Ruwayyah shooting range on Tuesday.

Held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, the championship is being held to popularise the sport of clay shooting in the country.

American champion Anthony Matarese had a fantastic two rounds of shooting on Tuesday to finish three shots clear of fellow countryman Gebben Miles and Great Britain champion Sean Bramley after six rounds.

Matarese is at the top with a score of 125 points after shooting 150, while Bramley and Miles are tied with 122 points.

Italy’s Marco Battisti is in hot pursuit in fourth with 121 points followed by champion shooter George Digweed (121) and American Kidd Robert (120).

There was very little change in the women’s competition with Spain’s Beatriz Cuenca Laparra nearly assured of the top prize unless something drastic occurs on the final day on Wednesday.

The Spaniard continued her consistent form with a solid third day and stay clear of the field with 112 points.
American shooter Desirae Edmunds with a total of 100 is keeping chase of the leader, followed by Russia’s Inna Alexandrova (99) and the pairing of Rebecka Bergqvist of Sweden and Great Britain’s Janine Preece with identical 98s.

Italian Martina Maruzzo is in fifth, while American multi-champion Diane Sorantino lost three places to slip into sixth with 94 along with Great Britain’s Cheryl Hall in seventh.

The Middle East Championship also saw a shift with Kuwait’s Abdullah Al Rashidi occupying the top spot ahead of countryman Fahad Al Dhehani with scores of 106 and 105 respectively.

The UAE’s Obaid Bin Dawi is in third with 103 and Dhaher Al Aryani is in fourth with 98 with Libya’s Marwan Alameh slipping into fourth with a total of 101.

On the final day on Wednesday, all shooters will get two more rounds in the morning session with the best six qualifying to the final in all three categories later in the afternoon.

From the total prize fund of $735,000, the men’s winner will receive $140,000, followed by $65,000 for the second and $40,000 for the third spot right up to the 50th place.

The women’s category winner will get $35,000, followed by $20,000 for the second place and $15,000 for the third spot right up to the 20th place.

The top finishers in the Middle East category will share from a fund of $135,000.

RESULTS

Men


1. Anthony Matarese (USA) 125pts
2. Sean Bramley (Great Britain) 122
3. Gebben Miles (USA) 122
4. Marco Battisti (Italy) 121
5. George Digweed (Great Britain) 121
6. Kidd Robert (USA) 120
7. Timothy Hubner (South Africa) 119
8. Jose Manuel Rodriguez (Spain) 119
9. Clifford Bartman (South Africa) 119
10. Nick Hendrick (Great Britain) 118
11. Andrew Duffy (USA 118
12. Chris Biddlecombe 118
13. Scott Robertson (USA) 118
 
Women


1. Beatriz Cuenca Laparra (Spain) 112
2. Desirae Edmunds (USA) 100
3. Inna Alexandrova (Russia) 99
4. Rebecka Bergqvist (Sweden) 98
5. Janine Preece (Great Britain) 98
6. Martina Maruzzo (Italy) 95
7. Diane Sorantino (USA) 94
8. Cheryl Hall (Great Britain) 94
9. Anna Jarnald (Sweden) 92
10. Charlotte Kerwood (Great Britain) 87
 
Middle East


1. Abdullah Al Rashidi (Kuwait) 106
2. Fahad Al Dhehani (Kuwait) 105
3. Obaid Bin Dawi (103)
4. Marwan Alameh (Libya) 101
5. Dhaher Al Aryani (98)