Matnog post-competition with his medals. Photo submitted by Gabe Matnog.
The 2018 Massachusetts State Junior Olympic Championship for Air and Sport Pistol was held at the Massachusetts Institution of Technology, or MIT, on January 13, 2018. This event consisted of 26 competitors statewide. One of Malden High’s own, Freshman Gabe Matnog, performed successfully in the event with a ranking of second overall.
Matnog, the silver medalist for the event,is also a member of Malden High School’s newspaper, The Blue and Gold. Matnog practices at the Massachusetts Rifle Association, MRA. Their program is open to any child who wants to learn about shooting competitively. The Junior Olympic pistol competitions are sponsored by (USAS) USA Shooting, and the (NRA) National Rifle Association. Luis Matnog, Gabe Matnog’s father is also a NRA pistol coach. Matnog has been practicing competitive shooting for 6 years. Matnog began shooting at the age of 8 years old . He has competed at the Olympic Training Center 4 times and is among the top shooters of the country. Matnog has also won gold at the Bay State Games.
He stated that “this was definitely one of the most intense and mentally challenging events [he’s] competed in” and added that his main motivation is his dream to become an olympian and to be a world class shooter.
Matnog practiced hard for this event. He placed second overall in Massachusetts for both Air and Sport pistol. Matnog had family back home in the Philippines and Guam that supported him and congratulated him. His family was really proud because Matnog has been spending years training for this. Matnog belongs to the Massachusetts Junior Pistol Team. He scored a 522/600 in sport, and a 503/600 in air. Those scores earned him an invitation to compete at the Junior Olympic Games. Matnog stated that his “daily training and late night practices really paid off”.
Close friends, family, and his academic teachers are wishing him the best. Matnog will be competing at the Junior Olympic Games at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in late April 2018, In hopes of winning and earning a spot on the US Junior Olympic Team.
