Unsinkable Tac seizes 2 nat’l shootfest golds

Veteran internationalist Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla maintained his dominance in the 25-meter rapid fire and centerfire pistol events by bagging the gold medals in the ongoing national shooting championships at PSC-Marine range in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

National champion since 1978, the 50-year-old Padilla shot 557 points to rout Ronald Hejastro (528) and Cla-rence Pukya (513) in rapid fire, and tallied 556 to beat Pukya (552) and Carolino Gonzales (528) in centerfire.

“My twin wins are my gifts to my father, who is celebrating his birthday soon,” said Padilla, whose dad, former Olympian Mariano “Tom” Ong, started him in the sport when he was barely 10.

The general manager of family-owned Spring Cooking Oil, Padilla seeks a third gold in the standard pistol next week.

Jayson Valdez, a product of Padilla’s National Youth Development Program under the shooting association, and former national shooter Susan Aguado also sparkled in the tournament.

Valdez won the 50-meter men’s air rifle event with 588 and the 50m men’s 3-position with 1136 and finished second in the 50m men’s rifle prone competition with 576.

Aguado, who turned to coaching many years ago, posted 527 points to topple Shanin Gonzales (526) and Gloria Cabuslay (473) in the 25m sports pistol.

The other gold medalists were Amparo Teresa Acuna in 50m women’s air rifle, Benny Cagurin in 50m men’s rifle prone and Tito Carpio with 526 in 50m free pistol.

Valdez topped Celdon Jude Arellano (580) and Michael Gabriel Jayme (577) in air rifle, Acuna tallied 389 to whip Inna Therese Gutierrez (380) and Esmeralda Alegria Cruz (371), Cagurin shot 582 to trim Valdez and Rocky Pardilla (576) in rifle prone, Carpio chalked up 526 to nip Carolino Gonzales (522) and Simon Karl Gonzales (501) in free pistol and Valdez upstaged former champ Emerito Concepcion (1125) in 3-position rifle.