Shooting Federation looking for more firepower

The newly elected Shooting Federation president Shirantha Peiris is hoping to make some significant changes in the Federation giving top priority to encourage youth to take up the sport in a bigger way for a brighter future.

The 125 year old National Shooting Federation was formerly known as the Sri Lanka Rifle Association.

The association was established in 1875 under the regime of the British. In 1974 it was registered as an association in Sri Lanka.

The association was earlier dominated and run by the armed forces personnel and may be for the first time in its history the Federation is headed by a non-serviceman and Shirantha Peiris had the distinguished honour of being elected uncontested.

Peiris said that there are about 15 talented marksmen in the armed forces and about five civilians who are capable of competing at international level

His top priority is to compete at the forthcoming SAF Games to be held in India next January.

Peiris hopes to sought the service of a foreign expert so that the Sri Lankans could be a force to be reckon with at the SAF Games.

Peiris also stressed the importance of having more firing ranges . "We have only two firing ranges in Panagoda and at the Navy camp in Welisara and for shot gun shooters a range in Payagala. In the near future we are going to build a well equipped private firing range for the benefit of the shooters . Some schools have also taken up to the sport only in air-rifle shooting. We hope to form a pool of shooters from all districts in anticipation of the SAF Games for a start", he said.