Javines captures national juniors shootfest title

Antonio Joseph Javines of Ateneo de Manila is slowly but surely making a name for himself in shooting trap and skeet clay category.

The 13-year-old Javines captured the National Juniors Trap and Skeet title after finishing fifth overall in the recently-concluded National Open Championship Trap/Skeet competition held at the PSC-PNSA Clay Target Range in Muntinlupa City.

Javines, also known as AJ in the shooting community, scored 14-18-19-18-15 for a total of 84 shots out of 125 target. He finished fifth behind Philippine National Shooting member Hagen Alexander Topacio, Eric Ang, Itos Carag and Jethro Dionisio in the trap men’s category.

Topacio had 23-22-23-24-23 for total of 115, followed by Ang with 23-21-22-21-19 for 106 and Carag with 21-21-22-19-20 for 103.

In finishing fifth, Javines also clinched the National Junior plum and a spot in Philippine National Training Team.

“Ever since I took up the sport, it is really my dream to become a national player,” said Javines, who even beat actor-sportsman Richard Gomez. Gomez finished ninth overall.
Valerie Levanza and Joelle Panganiban, meanwhile, finished 1-2 in the Ladies Trap category. Levanza shone with 15-14-16-13-17 for 75 points, while Panganiban struck with 13-13-16-17-15 for 74. ROBERT ANDAYA