Caroline obuya in action at the IDPA 2023 Championship at Kirigiti, Kiambu. (Photo: Collins Omondi )
Standard Group Journalist Caroline Obuya won the Best female award at the just concluded IDPA African championships on Sunday. She still can’t believe it.
“I am still trying to come to terms that I actually won Best Lady at the IDPA African Championships 2023. That came as a surprise to me,” says Caroline.
“When the Match Director called out my name, cheers rained in the air as I walked with so much humility to the podium to go and receive my award. That is when it dawned on me that hey Caroline, you got this,” she says.
Caroline is grateful to shooting sports Instructor Master Sammy Onyango for taking her dream of wanting to participate in the regional championship from just an illusion and making it a reality.
“Sammy is the reason I am standing on this podium today.” she says.
Amb. Anthony Muchiri presents award to Caroline Obuya at the awards ceremony pavillion at Kirigiti. (Photo: NGAO-K Federation)
Caroline applauds Standard Group CEO Orlando Lyomu’s love and support for sports in Kenya. She says it is through people like him that shooting sports has found a footing in this country.
“In a very special way I could like to thank Mr. Lyomu, Master Ibrahim Ndung’u, Eng Robert Nyamongo, and Geoffrey Pesa for their solid support; not forgetting NGAO-K Chairman Marting Chengo, Anthony Wahome and Julius Mumo,” says Caroline.
Caroline describes the event as a special kind of outing where she even got to interact with 12- 15-year-old shooters who caught her attention.
“When I sat with 12-year-old Mash’al Omar, son to Master Mohammed Omar at the banqueting tent, he had just finished shooting. I was having my take-away cup of coffee as he sat there staring at me. He was wearing his signature combat headband.
Mash’ al Omar poses for photo with Match Director Sammy Onyango (Photo: NGAO-K Federation)
“As I sipped my tea, he started blowing bubbles to my face with his bubble blower while giggling. I smiled and asked him if I could give him a snack, he told me ‘nooo’………I’m fasting.
I asked him if he was prepared for a podium position and a possible brief. He told me he has stage fright. I told him stepping on the podium will help him to overcome stage fright. Mash’al went ahead to scoop the youngest shooter award and that is how he forgot that he had stage fright. He was all over the stage lifting trophies amid cheers from the crowd,” says Caroline.
“12-year-old Cheche Ababu was another youngster who carried away my attention. Relatively new to shooting he went ahead to win an award alongside Douglas Achiki. Junior High winner Vuk Vucicevic from Slovenia got me staring in awe all the time he was in action. The 15-year-old can hit targets even with his eyes closed and still win,” she says.
Related Topics
