Pakistan's long range rifle team clinches double gold in South Africa, making history
Pakistan's Long Range Rifle Team has achieved a monumental milestone by winning double gold at the 2025 South Africa F-Class National Long Range Championship.
The team stunned the shooting world by defeating the host nation — the current world number one — on their own turf.
The team delivered an outstanding performance, securing victories in two of the tournament's premier events.
They claimed the Vice President Team Match with a score of 1168/1200, and followed it up by winning the Chairman's Team Cup, the most prestigious event of the championship, with an even more impressive score of 1174/1200.
The winning squad featured Lieutenant General Ahsan, Asad Waheed, Ubaid Ibrahim, Huzaifa Gul, Junaid Waqas, Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Ali, and Sepoy Waleed.
Notably, expert wind coaching — a crucial factor in long-range shooting — was provided by South African veterans Hennie Gerber and Julius Hartman, showing the team's commitment to mastering every technical aspect of the sport.
In addition to their team triumphs, Pakistan also dominated the individual events, taking home a total of 11 medals: 5 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze.
Leading the individual medal tally was Lt. Col. Junaid Ali, who won an astounding 3 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze medals across various categories.
Among the standout performances was Sepoy Waleed's gold in the prestigious Scottish Sword Match and Asad Waheed's gold in the Jack Michley Match.
Pakistan's rise in the world of long-range rifle shooting has been nothing short of remarkable. After making their international debut only recently at the 2023 F-Class World Championship, where they secured a respectable fifth-place finish, the team rapidly built momentum.
They went on to win the European FTR Teams Championship, setting multiple records along the way — an impressive feat for a nation relatively new to the F-Class shooting circuit.
The team's success is a result of intense merit-based selections, rigorous training, and a disciplined approach, backed by strong institutional support, particularly from the Army Chief.
With their latest victories, Pakistan's long-range shooters are proving that they are becoming a formidable force on the global stage — and their journey is just getting started.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
19 hours ago
- Express Tribune
New Zealand name Walter as new coach in all formats
South African Rob Walter was appointed New Zealand coach in all formats on Friday in the wake of Gary Stead's decision to stand down after seven years in charge. Stead announced on Wednesday that he would be leaving the job of test coach at the end of the month, having already relinquished the short format roles in April. Walter, 49, was most recently coach of South Africa's One-day international and Twenty20 teams but knows New Zealand cricket well after stints in charge of provincial teams as well as his time overseeing a Black Caps "A" tour of India in 2022. "The Black Caps have been a successful and highly-regarded team on the world scene for some time now and it's a real privilege to be given the chance to add to that," Walter said in a New Zealand Cricket statement. "It's an amazing opportunity to work with such a talented group of players and support staff through a period of time in which so many global events, as well as massive bilateral series, will be contested." Walter, who led South Africa to the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup and final of last year's Twenty20 World Cup, is contracted through to the end of the 2028 World Cup, which New Zealand is co-hosting with Australia. "Rob is a world-class coach with an outstanding pedigree," said NZC chief executive Scott Weenink. "His success in New Zealand's domestic game, combined with his recent achievements on the global stage with South Africa, makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Black Caps." New Zealand's next international matches come in July at the start of their tour of Zimbabwe, where they will play two tests and a Twenty20 tri-series also involving South Africa.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
New Zealand name South African Walter as new coach in all formats
South African Rob Walter was appointed New Zealand coach in all formats on Friday in the wake of Gary Stead's decision to stand down after seven years in charge. Stead announced on Wednesday that he would be leaving the job of test coach at the end of the month, having already relinquished the short format roles in April. Walter, 49, was most recently coach of South Africa's one-day international and Twenty20 teams but knows New Zealand cricket well after stints in charge of provincial teams as well as his time overseeing a Black Caps 'A' tour of India in 2022. 'The Black Caps have been a successful and highly-regarded team on the world scene for some time now and it's a real privilege to be given the chance to add to that,' Walter said in a New Zealand Cricket statement. 'It's an amazing opportunity to work with such a talented group of players and support staff through a period of time in which so many global events, as well as massive bilateral series, will be contested.' Walter, who led South Africa to the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup and final of last year's Twenty20 World Cup, is contracted through to the end of the 2028 World Cup, which New Zealand is co-hosting with Australia. Stead stands down as New Zealand coach after seven years 'Rob is a world-class coach with an outstanding pedigree,' said NZC chief executive Scott Weenink. 'His success in New Zealand's domestic game, combined with his recent achievements on the global stage with South Africa, makes him the ideal candidate to lead the Black Caps.' New Zealand's next international matches come in July at the start of their tour of Zimbabwe, where they will play two tests and a Twenty20 tri-series also involving South Africa.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
Maharaj surprised by Klaasen's retirement
Keshav Maharaj says it is sad to know that he is walking away. He is still young. Photo: ICC says it is sad to know that he is walking away. He is still young. Photo: ICC South Africa's veteran spinner Keshav Maharaj on Tuesday praised Heinrich Klaasen's significant impact on national cricket and reflected on the defining moments of Klaasen's career. He highlighted Klaasen's skill, resilience and the important role he played in major tournaments despite a relatively short international stint. Speaking in an ICC interview while preparing for the World Test Championship final, Maharaj reacted to Klaasen's surprise retirement decision by lauding the wicketkeeper-batter's influence on the modern game. "He is probably one of, if not the most feared batsmen, especially in the white-ball game these days. Yeah, it is sad to know that he is walking away. He is still young — he is younger than me. But you know, we can only wish him well. I am sure he has his reasons as to why, and you have got to respect that," Maharaj said. Maharaj paid tribute to the retiring Klaasen, recognising the huge void his departure would create in the South African lineup. "It is amazing to see how his journey transitioned — from being in and out of the team, probably not knowing where he stood, to one series that really changed the game. It is a huge boot to fill within the lineup. But I know he'll still be here supporting us and making sure that we get over the line in this game as well," he added. Maharaj recalled the series against Australia in 2020 as a turning point for Klaasen, which marked his rise in ODI cricket. He also remembered Klaasen's heroic performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, describing it as a testament to his world-class talent. He brought us back into the game and gave us a little bit of hope. We probably did not cross the final hurdle, but it was super special to witness the caliber and skill of the player come out in a game of that magnitude. It just shows why he's world-class," he concluded. It is pertinent to mention that South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Klaasen on Monday announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. The decision means Klaasen, who will be 34 next month, played his last game for South Africa in the Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to New Zealand in Lahore in March. Klaasen made his international debut in 2018 during an ODI series against India and went on to represent South Africa across all three formats over a seven-year career. ODIs proved to be his most successful format, where he played 60 matches and scored 2,141 runs at an average of 43.69 and an impressive strike rate of 117.05, including four centuries and 11 half-centuries. Among his standout performances was a blistering 174 off just 83 balls against Australia at Centurion in 2023 — the highest individual score by any batter at No. 5 in ODI history. In T20 Internationals, Klaasen featured in 58 matches, amassing 1,000 runs at a strike rate of 141.84, with five half-centuries to his name. He also appeared in four Test matches, scoring 104 runs at an average of 13.00. The wicketkeeper batter last played for South Africa in March this year during the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal against New Zealand. He was dismissed for just three runs off seven balls, as the Proteas lost the match by 50 runs.
