Charmaine Austin, Staff Reporter
A THOROUGHLY PREPARED and confident Jamaica rifle team will travel to Barbados today to defend its Caribbean full-bore shooting title.
Having completed arduous training with a meet against the Great Britain team this past week, the Jamaicans have all the ammunition they need to shoot down the other four competing teams.
The championship will be held at the Paragon Range in Bridgetown from May 13-19.
Guyana, Barbados, Bermuda and Trinidad & Tobago are the other participating teams but it the Guyanese and the Trinis that the Jamaicans anticipate will provide the greatest competition.
Jamaica defeated Trinidad by a point last year to take home the title but are more ambitious this time around.
Said Jamaica's captain Denis Lee: "We will be seeking to make this year's win more emphatic. This year's team is a stronger one so we're definitely in a better position to take home the title."
Among the members of the team are Caribbean shooting champion Ronald Brown Jnr and Major John Nelson who has returned after a lenghty hiatus.
Nelson, Lee said, should help to strengthen the team. So too is lady shooter Valerie Newman who did well in the recent International full-bore meet.
"We did well against Great Britain. It was good preparation and the scores were encouraging so we know we will do well in Barbados. Not just retain the trophy but set a new Caribbean record as well," Lee added.
Jamaica's team: Denis Lee (captain), Patrick Cabey (adjutant), Carl Smith, Major John Nelson, Ronald Brown Jnr., Canute Coley, Paul Martin, David Rickman, Jose Nunez, Valerie Newman and Dr Keith Hammond.
During the championship, the five regional countries form a West Indies team that will compete against the British shooters.
