This archive report was first published on 5 July 2021.
Belinda Akoth, a top sharpshooter from the General Service Unit (GSU), is leaving no stone unturned as she prepares to represent Kenya at the first-ever continental shooting championship in the country.
On July 5, 2021, The Standard Sports caught up with her at the Jockey Club shooting range on Ngong road, where she was perfecting her shooting skills.
"There's nothing much we are preparing. We are always ready, we will win," said Belinda Akoth, ahead of the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) African Championship.
Belinda, who will be competing in the SSP sharpshooter category, took her first swipe in a shooting competition in 2016 during the Annual Police Rifle meeting at the Anti-Stock Theft Range in Gilgil.
She has since grown in the sport, winning several trophies in various divisions and advancing in the various classes. Belinda prides herself on being the first lady sharpshooter in Kenya.
"I was in a comfort zone in Marksman. I felt the need to challenge myself to move from that category and push to sharpshooter. The competition there is so tough such that when you relax a bit you are out of the game," she said.
Belinda uses a Shadow 1 firearm due to its ease of trigger manipulation and believes in the ladies' team. She is confident that Kenya has some of the best instructors and facilities, and the combination of the disciplined forces - prisons, KDF, and GSU - is one to watch.
"We don't have a reason to fail," she said.
Belinda also believes that the home advantage will play a significant role in the championship, as most foreigners are not used to the kind of weather and dust from the courses of fire that Kenya's shooters are accustomed to.
