GSU officer Morara wins silver in Africa Championships
From left: Team Kenya shooting captain Sanford Otundo, David Kirui, Priscilla Wangui, Christopher Saina and Maurice Morara before departing to Cairo for the ISSF World Shooting Rifle and Pistol Championship on October 07, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Morara brought a final round of 245.2 points to finish second in the men’s 10 metres Air Pistol grand finale, losing to Youssef Elkordy from Egypt with a score of 247.4.
- Algerian Amine Adjabi settled for bronze with his aggregate of 244.3.
Maurice Morara from the General Service Unit (GSU) secured silver medal for Kenya at the Africa Shooting Championships that ended on Saturday in Beni Khalled, Tunisia.
Morara brought a final round of 245.2 points to finish second in the men’s 10 metres Air Pistol grand finale, losing to Youssef Elkordy from Egypt with a score of 247.4.
Algerian Amine Adjabi settled for bronze with his aggregate of 244.3.
“It has been a great event for me…I was targeting victory but it feels good to finally win a medal at the continental level,” said Morara, who had made four attempts without success.
Morara said he could have clinched gold but a few niggles on how to control pressure bogged him down.
“We shall need a psychological trainer moving forward to enable some of us to overcome pressure so as to uphold the high concentration level needed during such finals,” said Morara, who had finished in top eight from a field of 15 before the grand finale shootout.
Morara’s compatriot David Kirui failed to make the final.
Morara, who embraced air pistol precision shooting five years ago, now turns his focus to the next Africa Shooting Championships next year, which will be used as a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
“There is not since I want to embarking on proper training in view of brushing the few areas where I noticed weakness,” explained Morara, who thanked the Kenya Sport Shooting Federation (KSSF) and Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome for facilitating a good training environment for the team.
“There is nothing that is so satisfying like when people believe in you with all the support,” said Morara, who now joins a small group of Kenyans who have won medals from the continental event.
Gulraaj Sehmi (Rifle) and Shoaib Adam (Pistol) remain as the only Kenyans to have secured gold medals at the continental level.
Farhiya Mohammed (rifle) and Sanford Otundo once claimed silver medals at the continental contest.
This time around, Otundo finished seventh in the 10m Air Rifle grand final with Priscilla Wangui settling fifth in the women’s 10m Air Rifle.
Otundo and Wangui missed the podium place by a whisker, finishing fourth in the mixed team championship.
KSSF chairman Shoiab Vayani congratulated Morara and the team but said more will be done to ensure Kenyan shooters qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
