Roopra downs champion Sehmi to lift KRRC Cup

Gurcharan Roopra is the Kenya Regiment Rifle Club (KRRC) Cup winner.

Roopra from KRRC edged out club-mate and defending champion Gulraaj Sehmi on countback to lift the title during the championship staged at the General Service Unit (GSU) Range, Embakasi.

Roopra and Sehmi fired 595 points each, but what gave Roopra the victory was his impressive first round of 299 points, before following it up with 296 in the second and final round.

Sehmi, who holds the national record of 597, fell behind Roopra with a point in the first round, collecting 298 points but claimed revenge in the second round beating Sehmi by a point with 297.

Sehmi would then settle for Super X Class (SX1) honours, beating Smallbore captain Gurupreet Dhanjal by seven points after Dhanjal shot 588 from steady rounds of 294 and 294 respectively.

Legendary Satiender Sehmi, who is also the national team coach, settled for SX3 on 585 from rounds of 296 and 289 respectively.

There were also several commendable performances from the other classes, with GSU’s Maurice Morara downing an incredible scoring 585 to win X class and Harjinder Panesar (KRRC) winning O class with an impressive 579.

Fast-rising Grace Rantille from GSU claimed victory in T Class with 565 with Irene from GSU winning the next best lady prize on 569 followed by teammate Pricilla Wangui 565.

Morara edged out John Serem from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), who carded 577 points as Sunny Sian (KRRC) took X3 on 576.

Panesar proved supreme in O Class, beating Clifford Kiptarus and Peter Muli all from GSU to O2 and O3 with 577 and 570 respectively.

Rantille went for T1 honours beating club mates Mirriam Chepkirui and Belinda Okoth with 560 and 554 respectively.

KRRC was the second event on the 2019 Smallbore calendar, where Gulraaj Sehmi won the opener-Colortunes Cup in January to set the pace.

“The results are a clear manifestation that the top is really heating up and I believe it is only a matter of time before we reach the elusive 600 score. We are only three points off the ultimate target,” said Dhanjal.

Gulraaj Sehmi holds the national record of 597, a feat he achieved in June 2018, when he reclaimed the Landmark Holdings Mini Bisley shooting title at General Service Unit (GSU) Training School, Embakasi range.

Dhanjal disclosed that the Reclassification of the shooters will be done before the 2019 Mini Bisley in June this year, when they will have completed the first phase of the the calendar.

The next competition is the 2019 Teepol Cup 2019 slated for March 24 at the GSU range.

Dhanjal explained that they will be holding a coaching session on March 10 at the GSU Range and those interested should contact him so as to enable him prepare the time slots and schedule.

“We shall work in groups of four to six shooters at a time,” said Dhanjal.