Fifteen competitors have been selected to represent Antigua & Barbuda in the annual West Indies Full Bore Shooting Council Championship (WIFBSCC) to be held in Barbados from May 24 to 30.

Neville Fenton, president of Antigua & Barbuda Rifle Association (ABRA), explained that 15 participants were chosen in the event anyone falls ill.

“In our practice sessions, we decided from the participants we’d work with the top fifteen, for the upcoming Goodwill Games and also the big bore competition in Barbados,” he told OBSERVER Sports.

The president noted that the Goodwill Games would be held the weekend before the competitors leave for Barbados.

Competitors in the top three positions are Christopher “Christmas” Joseph who copped the number one spot with a score of 150.12 points, Anderson Perry, 150.11 and Rohit Dukiram, 148.10.

The other participants are Laurne Benjamin, Thomas Greenaway, Olsen “Preacher” Daniel, ASP Albert Wade, Ivor Gomes, Sergeant Logan Joseph, Desroy Maile, Sergeant Michael Morrell, Captain George Wehner, Captain Alando Michael, Corporal Clint Spencer and Captain Thelbert Benjamin.

Referencing practice sessions, Fenton disclosed that the executive is working to see what arrangements could be made with the range at Crabb’s to increase the number of sessions.

“Right now, we’re doing only once per week on a Saturday, but hopefully it’s the intention to do (so) at least twice weekly as the competition draws nearer,” the president said.

Meanwhile, Thomas Greenaway, vice president of ABRA informed this newspaper that Team Antigua would be on its own this year.

Last year, three members from the London and Middlesex Rifle Association coached the nine-member team for a week before they participated in WIFBSCC in Tucker Village, Trinidad.

The three veteran shooters were Richard “Dick” Winney, Phil Harrison and Ric Melling who’ve had a long association with Bisley, in the UK, the world headquarters for target rifle shooting.

He said that the men are presently preparing for the Commonwealth Games in India hence their unavailability at this time.

However, the British coaches are expected to return when ABRA hosts the regional competition next year.

At the same time, Fenton hopes that the 15-man team would do even better than Antigua & Barbuda has done in the last two years with the number of medals they brought home.

“I just want to take this opportunity to personally wish the guys all the best … in the competition especially in Barbados as they defend the pride of Antigua & Barbuda,” the president said.

Guyana won the regional competition in 2009.