After graduating to Compact Carry Pistol Master shooter, youngster Mahir Omar is already preparing to compete at next year's IDPA Africa Championship and the IPSC Africa Championship.
Mahir said he will be working hard on his skills between now and 2022 and is keeping his fingers crossed that his dream will become a reality.
"My hope is to compete at the two championships next year, Inshallah. Now that am a master shooter, I will be working hards towards competing at an international level," said Omar.
here is the IPSC Africa Championships in Johannesburg next month but, unfortunately, I won't be able to compete in that one."
The 22-year old was one of the standout shooters on Day One of the just-concluded International Defensive Pistol Association Africa Championships at Kirigiti Shooting Range, Kiambu when he shot a total time of 18.52 seconds, earning a bump up to the Master level.
Speaking of his exploits, Omar said it came as a surprise for him considering he had initially planned to graduate after the continental showpiece.
"I was previously a CCP expert shooter and my initial plan had been to graduate to the Master level after these championships. It didn't hit me that I had accumulated enough points to graduate until after the shoot," he said.
Mahir, who began shooting at the age of 15, said the sport has taught him a lot and improved his tendency to be accountable for whatever he does.
"I first came to the shooting range seven years ago, inspired by my dad, Mohammed Omar. It is at that point that I fell in love with the sport and wasn't even nervous when I held a firearm for the first time. This sport has taught me to be responsible considering the discipline that is required to handle a gun," Mahir said.
Apart from competing, Mahir was also one of the safety officers during the four-day championship, which was being held outside South Africa for the first time.
