A RECORD-breaking 83 countries will participate in the World Shooting Championships, which Cyprus will host from tomorrow until September 10, placing the island at the centre of World Shooting.
Cyprus has a long and successful tradition in the sport of shooting, will also host the European Shooting Championships in July 2008. Being the last trials before next year’s Olympics, some of the finals will decide slots for the Beijing Games.
Events will take place at the Cyprus Olympic Shooting Centre in Nicosia. This is the third time Cyprus is hosting the ISSF, after similar games in 1995 and 2003.
Cyprus Shooting Sport Federation Technical Director Petros Kyritsis told CNA that a total of 83 countries with some 680 athletes and 250 technical staff will come to Cyprus, which is a new record for the standards of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF).
He explained that the championships are the last to take place before the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, adding that all ISSF member countries will participate with a view to securing the five Olympic Games seats, out of thirty, which are yet to be allocated.
“This is why 83 countries have said that they will participate,” Kyritsis added, noting that “the World Shooting Championships are considered the top event after the Olympics as far as shotgun is concerned.”
Cyprus will participate in the Championships with 22 athletes, 15 male and seven female with high hopes.
“In the skeet discipline, we are very hopeful and there is no reason to keep a low profile, we aim for the medals,” said Kyritsis, noting that Cyprus is regarded as one of the best teams.
Cypriot athletes, he said, are participating with less concerns since Cyprus has already secured maximum three seats in Beijing Olympic Games (two male and one female athletes).
Cyprus has three athletes in the men Skeet world rankings. George Achilleos continues to lead the rankings with 1,450 points, while Kyriacos Christoforou is in the sixth position with 768 and Antonis Nicolaides ranks eighth with 703.
The championships, comprising Trap, Double Trap and Skeet, will take place at Cyprus’ Olympic Shooting Centre, which, according to Kyritsis, is considered “one of the best in the world,” adding that the premises underwent certain upgrading in view of the games and they will be improved even further in view of the European Shooting Championships in 2008.
Kyritsis noted that a total of 100 people will be employed fro the duration of the games.
President Tassos Papadopoulos will open the World Shooting Championships on September 2.
During the shootouts, Cyprus will host important ISSF meetings, namely the Executive Committee meeting today and the Administrative Committee meeting tomorrow.
“These meetings are important because they will lay the ground for the course of the World Federation for the period of 2008 2012,” according to Kyritsis. (CNA)
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