NSSF conducts first ever Electronic Shooting Target Course
Ibrahim Hamid receiving his certificate
The National Shooting Sports Federation (NSSF) of Sri Lanka held its first ever Electronic Shooting Target (EST) Course with Aado Maranik, a qualified Course Instructor from Australia conducting the course. The 3-day Course was held at the Concord Hotel, Dehiwela, with the participation of 35 officials.
The EST Course was made possible due to the untiring efforts of NSSF President, Shirantha Pieris, who ensured all arrangements were in place for a successful programme. SSP (Rtd) Ibrahim Hamid coordinated the course as Chairman- NSSF Judges Committee.
“Sri Lanka is yet to have a fully-fledged EST Scoring System. However, thanks to the NSSF President, we have been able to prepare a 10-metre Electronic Range at Kohuwala for Rifle and Pistol, for the National Pool and Youth shooters preparing for the Youth Olympic Games in 2018, in Buenos Aires. It’s a great achievement for Shooting Sports in Sri Lanka,” Hamid stated.
The Electronic Shooting Range in Kohuwala affords the local participants of the EST Course, a hands-on experience on handling situations at major events. The concluded course had 2 Indians and 1 each from Nepal and the United Arab Emirates, while the rest were Lankans. SSP Hamid, a former National Rugby star and an experienced shooter in yesteryears, further said that Sri Lanka is gradually moving towards the international trend, and EST Courses are important to help judges prepare in time to come.
All participants of EST Course
“EST Scoring is an automated scoring system used in Shooting Sport, where the shot placement and the score is automatically calculated and presented on screens, to the officials and shooters. This has, in many ways, revolutionised Shooting Sports where ESTs are not in operation, and Paper Targets are used. With Paper Targets, all scoring is done manually at the range and sent to the Classification Office. Paper Targets are not used anymore at international events, but in Sri Lanka, we still practice that method. If we are to move with the world, we need to learn the latest and judges must be qualified first. NSSF’s first attempt, in that aspect, is a success,” Hamid, who was also one of the participants, added.
Of the 35 participants, the conductors recommended 9 top ranks of the Course, for the EST Licence, which would make them eligible to officiate at Asian, World and other International Championships sanctioned by the International Shooting Sports Federation based in Munich. The 9 top ranks were SSP (Rtd) Ibrahim Hamid, Maj. Sitara Cooray, Lt.Com. Naveen Padmarathna, Lt.Com. Manjula Bandara, Lt. Vimukthi Siyambalapitiya, Maj. Tilak Dissanayake, Safraz Saleem and Indians R. Pandiyan and Rituraj Bagawathi.
Participants at the EST Course were L.M. Pabawathie, Lt. Amal Wickremage, Lt.Col. T.S.B.R. Fernando, Grp.Cpt.(Rtd) J. Ranasinghe, R. Pandiya, Lt.Col. Fredricks, SSP (Rtd) Ibrahim Hamid, Lt. Com. Naveen Pasmarathna, Maj. Sitara Cooray, O. Pussella, Pradeep Katik, Rituraj Bhagawathi, Maj. P.K.D.D.S. Ratnayake, Maj. Tilak Dissanayake, Lt. Dushan Silva, Fl.Off. M. Wijewickramage, Lasitha Perera, Lt.Com. H.M.M.H. Bandara, Sqd.Ldr. W.M.M.M.W. Bandara, Flt.Sgt. Sanjeewa Premalal, Rohit Jein, Saman Kumara, Safraz Saleem, Hasan Yousuf Ahumi, DIG Gamini Welgama, Wing Comd. G.P.N.C. Piyasena, Capt. Ranawaka, Lt. A.S. Dasanayake and Lt. Charitha.
The NSSF conducted its first Judges Course at the same venue in November last year, with participants from Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Estonia and Japan.