Unmistakably, what was expected from shooting in the Games of Small States of Europe (GSSE) held in Malta last week, was delivered and how.

The methodical preparation of officials, the venue infrastructure and the dedication of the athletes were the key to the all-round success of the Bidnija-based Malta Shooting Federation (MSF).

The organisation was first class and everything proceeded smoothly.

The hundreds of spectators who watched the shooting events all week were astounded by the picturesque surroundings and the flawless apparatus.

The Maltese shooters added to the fans' satisfaction by obtaining a medal haul that is the pride of all those concerned with Maltese shooting.

The dynamic leadership of MSF president Saviour Portelli and the boundless energy of Jimmy Bugeja, team manager and a vital cog in the MSF's organisational mechanism, provided the inspiration to both athletes and officials to produce such excellent results.

The competitions in all disciplines, spread over the whole week of the GSSE, set off on Tuesday morning (June 3) with the Trap event.

Lionheart Frans Pace, as expected, rose to the occasion in a competition which left no room for mistakes.

The San Marino shooters were first to settle down in the competition stage to end the first day enjoying a slight advantage.

Pace bounced back on the second day, determined to take the lead. Luxembourg's ace Armand Dousemont did likewise.

The final was to determine the top placings with Dousemont and Pace leading the last six that also included Noel Attard.

Francesco Amici, San Marino's top Trap shooter, saved his best for the final. Dousemont, succumbing to the pressure exerted by Amici and Pace, slipped behind.

Amici kept smashing clay after clay, keeping the spectators on their toes with a number of second barrel hits.

Then came the 23rd clay which Pace missed to the evident disappointment of the Maltese supporters as Amici went on to claim gold.

All in all, a silver medal was a prestigious honour for the evergreen Pace.

Airweapon events

The Maltese Airweapon shooters were William Vella and Lawrence Darmanin in Airrifle and Anton Camilleri and Ray Cacciattolo in Airpistol.

No medals were won in these disciplines but with the exception of Darmanin, all shooters entered the respective finals.

Young Vella shot a creditable Minimum Qualifying Standard (MQS) score and placed fifth overall.

Cacciattolo turned in a fine performance in the final with five shots going over the 10-point mark which gained him sixth position in the final standings, one spot behind Camilleri.

Double Trap 'double'

Malta's Double Trap team, consisting of shooting prodigy William Chetcuti and Emmanuel Grima, brought further success to Maltese sport.

After a shaky start, Chetcuti fine-tuned his skills and turned up the heat on San Marino shooter Maurizio Zonzini who had a three-clay lead going into the final.

The two Maltese shooters knew that they had to make every pair of clays count in the final.

The barrage was a spectacle. Midway through the final, the shooters' order at the start of the barrage was restored. Then Chetcuti and Grima increased the momentum and kept breaking clays steadily, hoping for a slip by the San Marino shooter.

The pressure applied by Chetcuti's flawless shooting proved to be too much for Zonzini who failed to maintain his lead, paving the way for the young Maltese to land a gold medal.

Grima's creditable results kept him in contention and earned him a merited bronze.

Vintage Vella

The euphoria at the Bidnija ranges was not to abate, though, as the Skeet event produced more excitement for the hundreds of local supporters.

After a difficult start in the first round owing to some technical difficulties, Paul Vella never looked back.

His control and concentration were extraordinary, especially when taking into account that Vella was engaged in a direct confrontation with Cyprus's Antonis Nicolaides, ranked fourth in the world, and the sixth-ranked George Achilleos.

Iceland's Arnasson Hilmar also shot well to enter the final in second place.

Silvio Attard, the other Maltese Skeet shooter, also gave a display of fine shooting which won him a place in the final and eventually a fourth place overall.

Vella knew that he could not afford to miss a single clay in order to pile the pressure on his opponents.

He scored an impeccable straight as Hilmar dropped no fewer than five clays and, more importantly, Achilleos spurned one clay which confirmed Vella's silver medal award.

Vella's feat provided a fitting end to Malta's participation in GSSE shooting events.

His silver medal also proved that in sport, results can be achieved with the right dedication and preparation.

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