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Lack of funding makes shooter savour victory
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (CP) -- Christina Ashcroft has never sat down and figured out how much money she spends on competitive shooting each year.She doesn't want to know.
"It would be too frightening," Ashcroft said shaking her head.
Severe funding cuts mean Ashcroft, 34, and the rest of Canada's shooters dig into their own pockets to buy equipment and travel to competitions.
The Navan, Ont., resident got a return on her investment Monday, winning a gold medal with partner Sharon Bowes of Waterloo, Ont., in the air rifle pairs competition at Langkawi Island.
"We have no funding anymore," said Ashcroft, who teamed with Maureen Spinney of Toronto to win the silver medal in the pairs small-bore sport-rifle prone competition Sunday.
"We have no really good international training facilities. We basically are lacking in everything that's needed. We have to struggle and persevere."
That makes each Canadian shooting medal a little bit special.
"Things aren't handed to us," said Ashcroft, 34. "Maybe we work a little harder and appreciate it more. It was pretty thrilling today. We earned this one and we are very happy to have it."
Ashcroft and Bowes, who turns 32 on Thursday, combined to score 778 points. Australia was second with 774 points and England third at 772.
The victory was revenge for the pair, who won a bronze in the same event at the 1994 Games in Victoria.
"This was the medal we should have won four years ago and we didn't," said Ashcroft, whose coach-husband Michael and father Rudy Shulze have both shot at the Olympics.
"Sharon had a rough day four years ago and I didn't have a great day either. We both struggled. We wanted to come back here and do better and win. We were hungry for the gold so we were very thrilled."
Ashcroft said Canada's success in shooting is a credit to the persistence of the country's shooters.
"There are many competitions and world championships that we just can't go to anymore and that just makes us a little less competitive against the rest of the world."
During her career Ashcroft has won two gold, a silver and three bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games.
"I don't think it ever gets boring to win. The day that happens I'll have to retire," she laughed.
Ashcroft was fifth at the 1990 world championships and her best Olympic result was 12th.
"I haven't got an Olympic medal yet. Hopefully that's something in the future, if we're lucky."
And she can afford it.