KUWAIT: Today marks the final day of competition of HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Shooting tournament as well as the 13th Gulf Championship being held at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex.

Secretary General of Kuwait and Arab Shooting Federations Obaid Al-Osaimi welcomed the presence of the representative of the tournament patron, Hawally Governor Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at the closing ceremony.

Al-Osaimi lauded the support of the political leadership, headed by H.H. the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, H.H. the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber and the wise government for the sport of shooting. Meanwhile, Kuwait bagged four medals including three silver and one bronze. Kuwait's Ahmad Al-Afasi won the individuals double trap silver medal after fierce competition with Oman's Hussein Al-Shoumi who won gold, while UAE's Ahmad Dhahi took bronze.

Al-Afasi along with Fuhaid Al-Daihani and Saadi Al-Mutairi gave Kuwait the double trap teams silver medal, second to the Qatari team which took gold as the bronze went to the UAE team. Again Kuwait's 10 meter pistol team took the silver medal as Saudi Arabia took gold, and Oman took the bronze. In the individuals event, gold went to UAE's Amin Ahmad, followed by Bahrain's Abdelmajeed Abdelkhaliq and Saudi Attallah Al-Enezi.

Kuwait team of Abdallah Al-Harby, Mohammad Adel and Sultan Al-Osaimi won the team's 10 meters rifle bronze as Bahrain took first place, and Oman second. The individual event saw Bahrain's Mohammad Haji taking gold, followed by compatriot Ali Haiderabadi silver while the bronze went to Oman's Salem Al-Nabi. President of the Arab and Kuwait Shooting Federations Eng. Duaij Al-Otaibi commented on the continued threats by the International Olympic Committee to suspend Kuwait's sports, saying that this may be a good opportunity for Kuwait government to correct the wrong situation in sports, and put an end to the continued threats against Kuwait sports.

He said Kuwait Shooting Federation and clubs do not wish suspension of Kuwait sports. He said Kuwait already qualified for two places at the Brazil 2016 Olympics by Khalid Al-Mudhaf and Ahmad Al-Afasi during the world championship in Italy. He said shooters are ready to compete in the Olympics and make a third achievement following Sydney 2000 and London 2012. But if the suspension takes place, and had to participate under the Olympic Flag as the case was in China, then we will not participate, and it is either the Kuwait Flag or nothing.

By Abdellatif Sharaa, Staff Writer