Asia’s top shooters to compete for 11 days (November 9 – November 19) at Daegu International Shooting Range
The 15th Asian Airgun Championship (AAC), which is hosted by the Asian Shooting Confederation (ASC) and supervised by the Korea Shooting Federation and Daegu Shooting Federation, was successfully bid in June to be held in Daegu. It will be held from November 9 (Wed) through 19 (Sat) at the Daegu International Shooting Range.
Poster advertising the 15th Asian Airgun Championship
This year’s AAC will showcase the abilities of 250 athletes from 20 Asian countries in 28 air pistol and rifle components. Competition is expected to be especially strong because it issues ranking points, which are necessary to make the national team cut for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
To enhance the quality of the AAC, Daegu Metropolitan City (DMC) changed the Daegu International Shooting Range’s aged equipment. It is also the first local government in Korea to install an electronic display in the finals stadium that will detect even the athletes’ smallest movements. The Daegu International Shooting Range, which was used for the shooting component of the 103rd National Sports Festival, was praised by athletes and spectators alike for its advanced facilities.
The DMC and Daegu Public Facilities Corporation (Daegu International Shooting Range), based on their experiences with hosting various domestic shooting competitions (Daegu Mayor’s National Shooting Contest, contests for non-professionals, contests hosted by Korea Shooting Federation, etc.) and on-site training for the Korean national team and others (corporate, university student, high school teams) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, did their utmost to ensure the smooth hosting of this year’s AAC.
The AAC, due to its designation as an “event of national importance,” is operated through a committee comprised of relevant institutions and local safety organizations, including the National Intelligence Service, Korean National Police Agency, Daegu Fire Services, and Korea Customs Service. Safety response teams made up of representatives from these organizations will be stationed at Daegu International Airport and Incheon International Airport for the efficient and safe processing of firearms.
In October, DMC made two site inspections with related institutions (e.g. National Intelligence Service, Korean National Police Agency, Daegu Fire Services, Daegu Public Facilities Corporation, Korea Shooting Federation) to ensure the safety of weapons management and the routes taken by athletes during the competition. Last-minute preparations are currently underway, including a self-inspection of safety, preventative measures for COVID-19, and the formation of a response team made up of relevant organizations to be operated for the duration of the AAC.
Kim Jong-han, DMC’s Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs, said, “We will do everything in our power to provide for athletes’ needs and ensure the safe operation of the contest so that athletes and personnel, who are coming to Daegu from many countries in Asia, can focus on the games. We will continue to bid for the hosting of the Asia Shotgun Championship and other domestic and international training programs to revitalize the local economy and boost Daegu’s reputation as a sports capital.”
