Narayanganj Rifle Club shooter Suraya Akter (C) poses after winning the women’s 10-metre air rifle event gold medal in the IFIC Bank National Shooting Championships at the National Shooting Complex on Friday. — New Age photo

35-year-old shooter Suraya Akhter made a great comeback when she won gold in the women’s 10-metre air rifle event of the IFIC Bank National Shooting Championship on Friday.
The Narayanganj Rifle Club shooter, who was out of the game for six years and won her last national gold in 2006, scored 491.7 in the event.
Suraya had to leave the game to look after her two children and she recently joined the Narayanganj Rifle Club as a coach, which she said gave her a chance to hone her skills and return to the game.
‘I got the chance to practise after I joined the Narayanganj Rifle Club as coach. Since I practised a little the idea of enrolling in the national meet came to my mind and I participated,’ said Suraya.
Suraya, however, had to face a tough challenge from her young rival Syeda Sadia Sultana of Chittagong Rifle Club, who scored 491.5 to take the silver medal.
The bronze of the event went to Comilla Rifle Club shooter Sharmin Akter. She scored 486.0.
Meanwhile, BKSP’s Sharmin Akhter secured the junior girls’ 10-metre air rifle gold in tie-breaker after Savar Army Shooting Club’s Mosammat
Sharmin Akter finished level with her on 387 points in their regular rounds.
Chittagong Rifle Club shooter Saima Sultana won bronze with a score of 376.
The day’s other event men’s 50-metre rifle prone also saw a tie-breaking round between Golam Shafiuddin of Gulshan Shooting Club and Army Shooting Associations Ramjan Ali for the gold medal as both of them scored equal 578 after the regular ten rounds of shooting.
Finally the gold medal went to Shafiuddin while silver- winning Ramjan’s team-mate Syed Abdul Malek scored 576 to confirm the bronze medal.