Ziadie soars to third national shotgun crown in thrilling finish

Back

Jul 21, 2026 11:11 AM | Sports
Log in or register to post comments1 view

Chad Ziadie aims at a target during this year’s National Shotgun Championship, on the way to being crowned the 2026 National Shotgun Champion at the Worthy Park Sugar Estate in Ewarton, St. Catherine recently.

In a display of resilience and marksmanship, Chad Ziadie has been crowned the National Shotgun Champion for the third time, following the conclusion of the Jamaica Skeet Club’s (JSC) National Shotgun Championship (NSC). The victory was celebrated at a recent awards function held at the picturesque Worthy Park Sugar Estate.

The championship, which ran over several months at various venues across the island, tested competitors across four demanding disciplines: 5-Stand, FITASC, Super Sporting, and Sporting Clay. Ziadie navigated the challenging circuit with precision, amassing 432 birds out of a possible 500. His performance was highlighted by discipline wins in 5-Stand (94) and FITASC (91), while his scores in Super Sporting (80) and Sporting Clay (167) placed him among the top competitors in those categories.

The win marks another milestone for Ziadie, who made history in 2022 at just 26 years old as the youngest shooter ever to win the championship. After reclaiming the title in 2024, he finished as the A Class Champion in 2025. This year, he returned to the summit, cementing his status as one of the nation's elite shooters.

However, the path to victory was fraught with unexpected challenges. Speaking after the event, Ziadie admitted the competition was exceptionally tight, especially with a fierce charge from his closest rival.

"It feels good. Relief. I mean the competition this year was very tight," Ziadie said. "As a matter of fact, Aliana charged back from 13 behind to only lose by three. It just shows you how tough the competition was this year."

He also revealed that mechanical issues with his primary firearm nearly derailed his campaign. "I faced some difficult challenges this weekend. My gun started to give me issues and I had to actually switch back to my old gun, so it felt very good to finish on top, going through those difficulties this weekend."

Finishing as the runner-up in the overall championship with a score of 429 was Aliana McMaster. Her stellar performance also earned her top honours in the Ladies category for the fourth consecutive year and the Juniors category. McMaster attributed her success to a love for the sport that transcends the pressure of competition.

"For me, the secret is the joy of the sport. I can't say anything more than that," McMaster stated. "That's the only reason how I was able to keep my head focused and in the game and shooting well. It was just by coming out and having fun."

The championship also saw a record number of participants, a development that has the JSC leadership optimistic about the future of the sport. President of the Jamaica Skeet Club, Justin Samuda, noted the significant growth in the club’s reach.

"So it was a really good turnout. We have had a lot of growth," Samuda explained. "The NSC which usually didn't attract the numbers that a club shoot would attract, this year we had 152 shooters that competed in some level of the NSC. That's up from last year which was about a hundred and thirty something shooters which last year was a record, so this year it's an increase. So the club is growing and vibrant and the committee remains on top of things and so we go up from here."

In response to the burgeoning talent pool, Samuda announced the formation of a new "Double A" class, which will consist of the top 15 shooters from this year’s championship, ensuring the competition continues to intensify.

Full List of Class Champions: