KUWAIT: The Annual International Shooting Grand Prix, organized by Kuwait Shooting Sport Club, will kick off on Saturday with the participation of about 220 shooters, in addition to the accompanying administrative and technical staff from 17 Arab and foreign countries, and its competitions will continue until April 20.

The Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of the tournament, President of Kuwait and Arab Shooting Federations and member of the International Shooting Sport Federation, Eng Duaij Al-Otaibi, stressed that Kuwait Shooting Community is honored to organize this important and largest sporting event in the country and one of the most important sports benefits for the game at the level of the Asian continent.

Al-Otaibi, on behalf of, members of the Higher Organizing Committee of the tournament, shooters, organizers and volunteers, extend to His Highness the Amir utmost thanks and gratitude for his kind patronage of the tournament, considering that the tournament has an important role in raising the technical level of Kuwait shooters and developing the sport of shooting in Kuwait.

He said that the championship, which is held annually and includes the holding of competitions for shotgun weapons, namely (skeet) for men and women and (trap) for men and women and mixed teams, has become one of the most important sports gatherings for the game in the region and the Asian continent for the participation of the most important champions of the world, expecting that its events will witness great competition in all its five disciplines.

He pointed out that the tournament will witness high attendance of game officials in the world, led by the Secretary General of the International Shooting Sport Federation and a number of heads of continental federations and heads of participating delegations, expressing his happiness with this great attendance of the tournament from official delegations and international shooters.

Al-Otaibi explained that the organizing committee of the tournament, in cooperation with the Sports Authority and state institutions, has completed all preparations for the holding of the competitions from the preparation of the Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex at the club that will host the tournament and all organizational and technical matters, indicating that it will hold a special opening ceremony for this auspicious tournament, which will be honored by the presence of the representative of the tournament’s sponsor, the Governor of Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Sheikh Sabah Badr Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah.

Regarding the participation of Kuwait shooters in the tournament, he mentioned that about 85 shooters from Kuwait will participate in the tournament within the five disciplines from experienced and young people, as the club was keen to involve the largest number of Kuwaiti shooters in the tournament to gain experience and prepare them for the upcoming international, continental and regional tournaments.

He explained that the club prepared Kuwait’s shooters in the best way to achieve the top places in this major international sports event, expressing his confidence in their ability to compete strongly with the world champions in the tournament, especially since they have a great history in this sport and have achieved many international, Olympic and continental achievements. Al-Otaibi praised the great role of the Public Authority for Sport and the rest of the state authorities for their great support for the organizing committee to organize this precious tournament, which will contribute to its success, noting also the efforts of all committees working in the tournament and volunteers in this regard.