2003 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

[USAS]

2003 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

FT. BENNING, Ga. – The first events of the 2003 USA Shooting National Championships wrapped up Friday with some surprising results.
USA Shooting, which organizes the annual event, had expected lower participation numbers this year due to the recent Pan Am selections and other international events making travel difficult. But even with a 25 percent decrease in shooter turnout, nothing could effect this week’s level of competition at the Ft. Benning ranges. With less participants, it seems the relatively unknowns of the shooting world can and will take full advantage when trying to make the National Team.
Training on Wednesday, and then getting right down to business on Thursday, the Men and Women’s Air Pistol events were the first to come to a close. In what may be considered the biggest surprise of the week so far, John Zurek seemingly came out of nowhere to sweep the competition in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol contest. Zurek (Phoenix, Ariz.) finished with a 1,249.9, more than seven points higher than runner-up, Daryl Szarenski, while John Ennis finished third with a score of 1,231.8
“I was feeling confident,” Zurek said. “But no matter how you feel, you still have to deal with the match pressure. And obviously, in the first round everyone was feeling the pressure. The first-day scores were way off.”
Zurek used the pressure to his advantage. In fact, he was the only shooter to score in the 570’s in the first round. From there on out, he was hard to catch.
“Regardless of who is on the line,” Zurek explains, “You still have to perform. You still have to deal with the pressure and I think that’s where I grabbed the advantage. I have been spending a lot of time these last couple of year’s focusing on my mental preparation in competition.”
Georgia native, Jodie Briggs was announced the 10m Women’s Air Pistol champion. Briggs, originally from Chestnut Mountain, Ga., took the top spot with a score of 834.0.
As for the 10M Men’s Running Target, Armando Ayala used his familiarity with the range to easily walk away with first, finishing 28 points above Mike Fredrickson with a score of 1248.6. Ayala resides in Ft. Benning, Ga
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[Bill Poole]

>in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol contest. Zurek
>(Phoenix, Ariz.) finished with a 1,249.9,
See my website http://arizona.rifleshooting.com/ for a pic of Zurek and his Free pistol in Phoenix! and shooting schedules (mostly NRA HP & Sbore rifle) in Phoenix
See http://www.phoenixrodandgun.org/ for Me & Zurek's "home" pistol club and schedule...
Come shoot with us when it cools down!
Poole
http://arizona.rifleshooting.com/
bill-at-poole.com.41356.41355