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USA Posts Several Medal Winning Performances at 2005 CISM

By Sommer Wood, Staff Writer/Editor

Photos courtesy of http://www.cism05.ch/index.php?id=95&L=1

 
317 military competitors in rifle and pistol shot in the 40th CISM. 
The 40th World Military Shooting Championship was held in Thun, Switzerland October 9-16, 2005. This year’s match had 77 teams and 317 competitors from all over the world. The CISM (International Military Sport Council) championship was created in 1948 by Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands with the goal of achieving Friendship by Sport, a motto which is still honored today. The match also serves to promote friendly relations between armies and their member states.

SFC Jason Parker won both an individual gold and a team bronze for the U.S. in rifle at the 2005 CISM.
The 2005 CISM championship produced several strong performances by U. S. military shooters, including several top finishes. SFC Jason Parker, U. S. Army, won gold in Men’s 300m Standard Rifle Three Position precision fire. His score of 587 gave him a two point victory over Thomas Farnik of Austria. Parker was also on the U.S 300m Standard Rifle Three Position Military Rapid Fire Team with Sgt. Shane Barnhart, and Lt. Col. Robert Harbison that placed 3rd with a score of 1686. The same team finished 8th in the 300m Standard Rifle Three Position Team Precision Competition with a score of 1720.

 77 military teams from around the world came together to compete in the 2005 CISM Championship  to foster 'Friendship Through Sport' 
The Men’s Pistol Competition brought several strong finishes for the U.S. as well. Staff Sgt. Keith Sanderson finished the 25m Pistol Military Rapid Fire Individual match tied in first place with China’s Zheng Gao with a score of 592. To determine the winner a shoot-off was held between Sanderson and Gao in which Sanderson took the gold with a score of 50 to Gao’s 44. Sanderson along with Staff Sgt. John Ennis, and Sgt. 1st Class Daryl Szarenski won bronze for the U.S. in the Men’s 25m Pistol Military Rapid Fire Team Match with a score of 1738. This same team also finished 5th overall in the 25m Pistol Center Fire Team competition with a score of 1734. In the Men’s 25m Pistol Center Fire Individual Competition two U.S. Shooters finished in the top 10. John Ennis’s score of 584 placed him in 7th and Keith Sanderson’s score of 583 gave him a 10th place finish.

The U.S. Women’s Pistol team had a notable 8th place finish in 25m Military Rapid Fire Team Competition. The team’s score of 1665 was shot by Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Callahan, Petty Officer 2nd Class Sandra Uptagrafft, and Staff Sgt. Janet Sokolowski. Callahan also had the top finish for the U.S. women in the 25m Pistol Individual Competition with her 9th place score of 577.

At the end of the CISM Matches, 'Best Nation Award' is given.  This title carries with it the privilege of retaining a perpetual trophy, an elaborately engraved pair of silver dueling pistols originally donated by King Paul of Greece.
Russia won the Overall Best Nation Award with the USA in a close second, and Norway taking third. Only the men’s teams’ scores counted in the overall “Best Nation” award, which carries with it the privilege of retaining a perpetual trophy, an elaborately engraved pair of silver dueling pistols originally donated by King Paul of Greece. The women’s teams competed for their own individual and team awards. For more details on the 2005 CISM Championship and a complete listing of scores go to http://www.cism05.ch/index.php?id=1&L=1.