Team Canada’s Michele Esercitato, Stuart Burns, and the Sunshine Coast’s Allan Harding secured a silver medal at Intershoot 2025, one of Europe’s most prestigious international air pistol competitions.
At the Hague, Netherlands, the team delivered a strong performance, finishing just nine points behind Belgium, who claimed gold. Canada’s total score of 1,672 was powered by Esercitato’s 572, Harding’s 551, and Burns’ 549, demonstrating remarkable consistency across the competition.
“Every single shot counts. Every shot makes the difference between winning and not winning. Every breath, every movement, every thought... all of it matters,” said Harding, reflecting on the intense competition.
Canada was defending their gold medal title from 2024, making this year’s silver finish another strong result for the national team.
Intershoot, which has been running since 1976, attracts top international marksmen for three days of high-level competition, making it a key event on the road to future international and Olympic events.
What’s next?
The next major focus for Harding is the BC Airgun Championships next month in Richmond, followed by the Canadian National Pistol Championships this summer. His long-term focus remains set on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Harding also coaches and teaches Olympic-style target shooting on Wednesday evenings at the Sunshine Coast Rod & Gun Club. Visit their website (https://scrgc.ca) for details about their junior target sports programs for Olympic target shooting and archery.
