Cornwall’s Mary Patrick Gardiner is hoping to reach the 2020 Olympics as a sharpshooter. The talented athlete is currently organising a fundraiser in the hopes of purchasing equipment that would help her reach her goal. —photo Scott Gardiner.
Aiming for the Olympics
FRANCIS RACINE francis.racine@eap.on.ca
Her family therefore hopes to raise $16,500, as the overall cost of equipment, ranging from jacket, trousers, boots, shooting stand, mat, scope, could cost upwards of $15,000.This final cost does not include transportation, accommodations, competition entry fees, ammunition, memberships, range time or targets. “We’ve gotten a lot of support from the community,” highlighted Scott Gardiner, Mary Patrick’s proud father. “But our fundraiser has yet to go viral, as they say.” The young woman realized she had a talent for sharpshooting following her admittance to the local cadet program. There, she practiced using the Daisy Air Rifle at 10m, both prone and standing. Her first year, she skipped two of the four
marksmanship levels and made the unit team. “Little did I know I wouldmake the team for five consecutive years, win the zone championships twice, place second junior at provincials, have two 4 th place finishes at the National Cadet Air Rifle Championships and become the National Champion in the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association National Postal Shoot,” said Mary Patrick. “These achievements allowedme to compete in national full-bore competitions for two years and earnmyself a spot on the Canadian National Cadet Rifle Team.” After realizing her potential, a fellow coach took Mary Patrick under his wing. “He encouraged me to start practicing small-bore, which I started last year,” she
stated. Even with a lack of equipment and small- bore experience, she managed to hold the provincial record for the international junior category, sitting at a perfect score. “When she approached me, telling me she wanted to practice her shooting and maybe even have to miss school days for it, I told her she had to meet me half way,” explained her smiling father. “She had to maintain good grades.” It seems the young woman held her end of the bargain, as she holds a 95% average in her classes. “We’re very proud of her,” said Scott. To learn more about Mary Patrick’s fundraiser and donate, visit makeachamp. com/marypatrick.
Cornwall’s very own Annie Oakley is hoping to receive support from her community. Mary Patrick Gardiner, a talented sharpshooter and daughter of Scott and Wendy Gardiner, is trying to reach the next level in her quest to become a future Olympian. But the 17-year-old has come up against a worthy adversary: expensive equipment. “To be able to shoot at the high- performance level, an air rifle alone costs about $4000,” she explained at a local Tim Hortons. “This does not include the cleaning supplies, the rifle accessories or safety equipment needed for the rifle.”
Le Journal, Cornwall
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Le mercredi 24 février 2016
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