Shooters awarded, Ahrens retires

Three outstanding clay shooters, Johan Venter, Gaby Ahrens and Ian Kriel have been awarded earlier this month by the Clay Target Shooting Association of Namibia for their achievements during 2016.

Venter, Ahrens and Kriel are the national champions in their respective clay shooting disciplines, American Trap, Olympic Trap and Auto Ball.

Olympic shooter, Ahres, in prepartion for the Olympic games in Rio, showed excellent form throughout 2016. She used the National Championship as part of her preparation for the Olympics.

The many hours of sacrifising her shoulder paid off as she ended the 2016 season at the top of the log, becoming the national champion. She was joined by Johan Venter and upcoming youngster Oliver Hoffmann on the podium, in second and third position respectively.

Ahrens recently announced her retirement from competitive shooting.

In the Auto Ball discipline, Ian Kriel proved his mastership by claiming the national champion title. In this discipline, Hoffmann again made a good show, taking the second position ahead of Venter.

Venter in turn demonstrated that he is the most consistent Namibian shooter over all disciplines, claimed gold in the ATA event, with Mike Pinsenschaum and Frank Dahl taking silver and bronze.

The national champions were selected based on the results of three events during the course of 2016.

“The Clay Target Shooting Associatioin congratulates Gaby Ahrens on her achievements, which will probably be unequalled from for many years to come. Three times Olympian, two times African Champion, Commonwealth Games Medalist, Flag Bearer of the Namibian Team at the Olympics in London and Namibian Sportswoman of the Year, were part of her career highlights. She was a great ambassador of this sport and of the country” stated the association at the awards ceremony.