Zimbabwe Shooting Sport Federation

• 1980, Moscow - Team
• 1988 Seoul
• 1996, Atlanta
• 2000, Sydney
• 2004, Athens - Mike Nicholson
• 2008, Beijing
• 2012, London
• 2016, Rio - Mike Nicholson
• 2020, Cancelled.

Activities / Events

In October 2010, The ZSSF held an “Outdoor Fair” at the HSSC, along the Arcturus road before Chikurubi and Donny Brook. Displays included those associated with boating, fishing, camping, hunting, 4 x 4 , Outdoor and camping equipment, and clothing. There were also ranges dedicated:

• Archery. (target and bow hunting)
• Handguns. Practical Pistol, Olympic and Large Bore
• Service Rifle. e,g. AK, FN.
• Full Bore. (Elephant guns), 458, 375.
• Silhouette shooting
• Bench Rest. Heavy and Light bench rest rifles. (the most accurate firearms in the world).
• Air Pistol and rifles
• Black Powder displays
  

The public were allowed to shoot any of the above firearms.
There was a static display of collectors items, vehicles and firearms to view. ^[1]

In 2011, the ZSSF was listed as a nominee to the Zimbabwe Annual National Sports Awards, in the category of Administration Award of the Year, along with Zimbabwe Cricket and Zimbabwe Motorsport. ^[2]

In 2015, it was announced that Zimbabwe Shooting Sport Federation (ZSSF) was been given a slot in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games by the International Shooting Sport Federation, raising the number of individual Zimbabwean athletes who have so far qualified for the quadrennial showpiece to five. ZSSF secretary-general Hannes Scholtz confirmed the development, “Yes, it’s now confirmed. We’ve been given an Olympic slot by the International Shooting Sport Federation, but we are yet to confirm the athlete who will take up the slot. We are confident anyone who will be selected will represent the country well in Rio de Janeiro.” Mike Nicholson represented Zimbabwe at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games in the double trap shooting by virtue of having accepted an invitation from the International Shooting Sport Federation, based on his performance at the African Championships. ^[3]

Eighteen countries had registered for the 2020 African Sporting Championship and African Championship of Compak Sporting, (FITASC) in Victoria Falls in February 2020. The event was organized by the Zimbabwe Shooting Sport Federation and Clay Target Shooting Association, in collaboration with the Sports and Recreation Commission. Principal director in the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Benson Dube said “We are having a shooting competition which was last held here in 2000.”
Participating countries were Zimbabwe, Namibia, Belgium, South Africa, Ireland, Greece, Canada, Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Latvia, Singapore, Hungary, France, Australia, Thailand and Zambia. One of the organisers Mike Nicholson said hosting of the event rotates between northern and southern Africa, with Zimbabwe having hosted it three times before 2000. ^[4]

The FITASC competition in Victoria Falls finished in March 2020, with Zimbabwean Nicholas Macdonald finished third overall out of 106 participants. The competition is categorised into two distinct competitions - African Sporting Championship, and Compak Sporting Championship. Over six days of shooting featuring participants from 17 countries in the men’s and women’s juniors, seniors, veterans and masters categories.
The winner was Hungarian Andras Szerdahelyi, who scored 196 points. Second was 27-time world champion Digweed from United Kingdom with 193 points, and then Macdonald who scored an overall 192 points. Bryan Durrad from the Clay Target Shooting Association of Zimbabwe said it took two years to convince FITASC to return the sport to Zimbabwe. ^[5]

In 2018, Zimbabwe Metallic Silhouette wrote - "Zimbabwe has a proud history of sport shooting. Zimbabwe's shooting athletes include a world champion IPSC Practical Pistol shooter, a world champion Palma Rifle shooter, competitors in ISSF Olympic Free Pistol and Rapid Fire Pistol and Clay Target at various Olympic Games, distinguished Aperture Sights rifle competitors and IMSSU Metallic Silhouettes teams competing in many world championships. There was formal fullbore rifle competition in the country in 1895.
The Silhouette range is located in the Harare Shooting Sport Complex, an area of 10 hectares, catering for most recognized international shooting disciplines. Metallic Silhouette shooting in Zimbabwe started back in 1973. In 1976 official targets were introduced and target ranges demarcated for the first time. In 1995, inquiries led to our participation in the IMSSU championships in Stellenbosch in 1996, and our initiation into international Silhouette competition. In 1997 we held our first International championship, when we hosted the first “Africa Metallic Silhouette Championships”. In 2006, Zimbabwe sent a team to the IMSSU world championships in Bloemfontein. In 2010, Zimbabwean shooters participated in the 9th IMSSU world championships in Cape Town. The Silhouette facilities consist of:

• 500m Big Bore Rifle range
• 300m Big Bore handgun range
• 100m Small Bore Rifle ranges
• 100m Small Bore handgun ranges
• 100m Field Pistol range

^[6]

The FITASC competition in Victoria Falls finished in March 2020, with Zimbabwean Nicholas Macdonald finished third overall out of 106 participants. The competition is categorised into two distinct competitions - African Sporting Championship, and Compak Sporting Championship. Over six days of shooting featuring participants from 17 countries in the men’s and women’s juniors, seniors, veterans and masters categories.
The winner was Hungarian Andras Szerdahelyi, who scored 196 points. Second was 27-time world champion Digweed from United Kingdom with 193 points, and then Macdonald who scored an overall 192 points. Bryan Durrad from the Clay Target Shooting Association of Zimbabwe said it took two years to convince FITASC to return the sport to Zimbabwe. ^[5]

References